men, and how much we were thrown together. Besides she
was a woman in a million, and I can tell you that it was a strong head
that would not be turned by her.

Why, there was Major Elliott, a man that had buried three wives, and had
twelve pitched battles to his name, Edie could have turned him round her
finger like a damp rag--she, only new from the boarding school. I met
him hobbling from West Inch the first time after she came, with pink in
his cheeks and a shine in his eye that took ten years from him. He was
cocking up his grey moustaches at either end and curling them into his
eyes, and strutting out with his sound leg as proud as a piper. What
she had said to him the Lord knows, but it was like old wine in his
veins.

"I've been up to see you, laddie," said he, "but I must home again now.
My visit has not been wasted, however, as I had an opportunity of seeing
_la belle cousine_. A most charming and engaging young lady, laddie."

He had a formal stiff way of talking, and was fond of jerking in a bit
of the French, for he had picked some up in the Peninsula. He would
have gone on talking of Cousin Edie, but I saw the corner of a newspaper
thrusting out of his pocket, and I knew that he had come over, as was
his way, to give me some news, for we heard little enough at West Inch.

"What is fresh, Major?" I asked. He pulled the paper out with a
flourish.

"The allies have won a great battle, my lad," says he. "I don't think
Nap can stand up long against this. The Saxons have thrown him over,
and he's been badly beat at Leipzig. Wellington is past the Pyrenees,
and Graham's folk will be at Bayonne before long."

I chucked up my hat.

"Then the war will come to an end at last," I cried.

"Aye, and time too," said he, shaking his head gravely. "It's been a
bloody business. But it is hardly worth while for me to say now what
was in my mind about you."

"What was that?"

"Well, laddie, you are doing no good here, and now that my knee is
getting more limber I was hoping that I might get on active service
again. I wondered whether maybe you might like to do a little
soldiering under me."

My heart jumped at the thought.

"Aye, would I!" I cried.

"But it'll be clear six months before I'll be fit to pass a board, and
it's long odds that Boney will be under lock and key before that."

"And there's my mother," said I, "I doubt she'd never let me go."

"Ah! well, she'll never be asked to now," he