paign. Indeed, the
fact that he had been one of Ney's celebrated division, whose bravery
had excited general admiration, was considered a feather in his cap,
especially when it became known that he had been awarded the Cross of
the Legion of Honour by Napoleon himself. Had not the brothers received
the proposal most unfavourably, a public dinner would have been got up
to celebrate their return.

"Well, Julian, you will have to settle what you mean to do with
yourself," Frank said one day. "You can never settle down here without
any occupation whatever, after what you have gone through."

"No, I quite feel that, Frank. I have had enough of soldiering; that one
campaign is enough for a life time. I really can hardly make up my mind
what to do. Aunt was speaking to me yesterday afternoon when you were
out. The dear old soul said that it was nonsense for me to wait for her
death, wasting my life here, and that she was anxious to hand me over at
once half her money. She said that that would be L10,000, and with the
L8,000--my share of father's money--I could then buy an estate."

"It would be the best thing you could do, Julian, but, of course, there
is no hurry about it. What part of the country would you prefer to
settle in?"

"I don't know, Frank, I have never thought much about it. I don't think
I should choose anywhere near Weymouth, and I would rather go to a
flatter country, and a better wooded one. If I bought land, I should
like to have land that I could cultivate myself, so as to give me an
interest in it, and I should like, after a time, to be on the bench,
which would give one a good deal of occupation. I suppose I shall marry
some day, and so would prefer to be within reach of a town. I should
think, from what you say, the country round Canterbury must be pretty.
There is a garrison there, Dover is within reach, and it is a good deal
more handy for getting up to town than it is from here. However, as you
say, there is plenty of time for me to think about that."

Mrs. Troutbeck was, as Julian had predicted, astounded upon the arrival
of his baggage. "I never saw such a thing!" she exclaimed, as trunk
after trunk was carried into the house. "That Russian count of yours,
Julian, must be a little cracked, I should think. Why, my dear boy, if
you were to get stout what in the world would you do with all these
things?"

"That is a contingency I have never thought of, Aunt. You quite frighten
me. I must go in fo