breeze crossing the plain--and that word
was "No!"

"God bless you for that answer, Miss Ross--Elsie," he said deeply; and
then his head was bent down for an instant over the hand that rested on
the cord, before Miss Ross glided away from him into the tent, and went
and stood resting with her hand upon the colonel's shoulder, when he,
evidently in high glee, began to shew her his cards, laughing and
pointing to first one, and then another, for he seemed to be having luck
on his side.

But I had no more eyes then for the inside of the tent, for Captain Dyer
just seemed to awaken to the fact that I was standing close by him as
sentry, and he gave quite a start as he looked at me for a few moments
without speaking. Then he took a step forward.

"Who is this? Oh, thank goodness!" (he said those few words in an
undertone, but I happened to hear them). "Smith," he said, "I forgot
there was a sentry there. You saw me talking to that lady?"

"Yes, sir," I said.

"You saw everything?"

"Yes, sir."

"And you heard all?"

"No, sir, not all; only what you said last."

Then he was silent again for a few moments, but only to lay his hand
directly after on my chest.

"Smith," he said, "I would rather you had not seen this; and if it had
been any other man in my company, I should perhaps have offered him
money, to insure that there was no idle chattering at the mess-tables;
but you I ask, as a man I can trust, to give me your word of honour as a
soldier to let what you have seen and heard be sacred."

"Thank you, captain," I said, speaking thick, for somehow his words
seemed to touch me. "You shan't repent trusting me."

"I have no fear, Smith," he said, speaking lightly, and as if he felt
joyful, and proud, and happy.--"What a glorious night for a cigar;" and
he took one out of his case, when we both started, for, as if he had
that moment risen out of the ground, Lieutenant Leigh stood there close
to us; and even to this day I can't make out how he managed it, but all
the same he must have seen and heard as much as I had.

"And pray, is my word of honour as a soldier to be taken, Captain Dyer?
or is my silence to be bought with money?--Confound you I come this way,
will you!" he hissed; for Captain Dyer had half turned, as if to avoid
him, but he stepped back directly, and I saw them walk off together
amongst the trees, till they were quite out of sight; and if ever I felt
what it was to be tied down to one spo