y had told him that in five days his Josephine was to be
married; and that the bronzed comrade, who had just galloped past him,
was to marry her!

At Beaurepaire they were making and altering wedding-dresses. Rose was
excited, and even Josephine took a calm interest. Dress never goes for
nothing with her sex. The chairs and tables were covered, and the floor
was littered. The baroness was presiding over the rites of vanity, and
telling them what she wore at her wedding, under Louis XV., with strict
accuracy, and what we men should consider a wonderful effort of memory,
when the Commandant Raynal came in like a cannon-ball, without
any warning, and stood among them in a stiff, military attitude.
Exclamations from all the party, and then a kind greeting, especially
from the baroness.

"We have been so dull without you, Jean."

"And I have missed you once or twice, mother-in-law, I can tell you.
Well, I have got bad news; but you must consider we live in a busy time.
To-morrow I start for Egypt."

Loud ejaculations from the baroness and Rose. Josephine put down her
work quietly.

The baroness sighed deeply, and the tears came into her eyes. "Oh,
you must not be down-hearted, old lady," shouted Raynal. "Why, I am as
likely to come back from Egypt as not. It is an even chance, to say the
least."

This piece of consolation completed the baroness's unhappiness. She
really had conceived a great affection for Raynal, and her heart had
been set on the wedding.

"Take away all that finery, girls," said she bitterly; "we shall not
want it for years. I shall not be alive when he comes home from Egypt.
I never had a son--only daughters--the best any woman ever had; but a
mother is not complete without a son, and I shall never live to have one
now."

"I hate General Bonaparte," said Rose viciously.

"Hate my general?" groaned Raynal, looking down with a sort of
superstitious awe and wonder at the lovely vixen. "Hate the best soldier
the world ever saw?"

"What do I care for his soldiership? He has put off our wedding. For how
many years did you say?"

"No; he has put it on."

In answer to the astonished looks this excited, he explained that the
wedding was to have been in a week, but now it must be to-morrow at ten
o'clock.

The three ladies set up their throats together. "Tomorrow?"

"To-morrow. Why, what do you suppose I left Paris for yesterday? left my
duties even."

"What, monsieur?" asked Josephine, timid