u
if you was to be hanged."

"Why should they?" said the Colonel. "A man is not hanged for building
churches. Come, beat a retreat. I've had enough of you. See there's a
good breakfast."

"Oh," said John, "I've took care of that."

When the Colonel came down he found his son leaning against the
mantel-piece; but he left it directly and stood erect, for the Colonel
had drilled him with his own hands.

"Ugh!" said the Colonel, giving a snort peculiar to himself, but he
thought, "How handsome the dog is!" and was proud of him secretly, only
he would not show it. "Good-morning, sir," said the young man, with
civil respect.

"Your most obedient, sir," said the old man, stiffly.

After that neither spoke for some time, and the old butler glided about
like a cat, helping both of them, especially the young one, to various
delicacies from the side table. When he had stuffed them pretty well, he
retired softly and listened at the door. Neither of the gentlemen was in
a hurry to break the ice; each waited for the other.

Walter made the first remark--"What delicious tea!"

"As good as where you come from?" inquired Colonel Clifford, insidiously.

"A deal better," said Walter.

"By-the-bye," said the Colonel, "where _do_ you come from?"

Walter mentioned the town.

"You astonish me," said the Colonel. "I made sure you had been enjoying
the pleasures of the capital."

"My purse wouldn't have stood that, sir."

"Very few purses can," said Colonel Clifford. Then, in an off-hand way,
"Have you brought her along with you?"

"Certainly not," said Walter, off his guard. "Her? Who?"

"Why, the girl that decoyed you from your father's roof."

"No girl decoyed me from here, sir, upon my honor."

"Whom are we talking about, then? Who is _her_?"

"Her? Why, Lucy Monckton."

"And who is Lucy Monckton?"

"Why, the girl I fell in love with, and she deceived me nicely; but I
found her out in time."

"And so you came home to snivel?"

"No, sir, I didn't; I'm not such a muff. I'm too much your son to love
any woman long when I have learned to despise her. I came home to
apologize, and to place myself under your orders, if you will forgive me,
and find something useful for me to do."

"So I will, my boy; there's my hand. Now out with it. What did you go
away for, since it wasn't a petticoat?"

"Well, sir, I am afraid I shall offend you."

"Not a bit of it, after I've given you my hand. Come, now, what was it?"

Wal