Noel," she said, in the careful tone of one not
wishing to be taken too seriously.

The best man smiled all over his merry face. "I shall do my best to
survive for your sake," he said.

She nodded thoughtfully. "But why aren't you goin' to get married
sooner?"

He surveyed her with his head on one side. "My little sweetheart is only
pocket size at present," he said. "I'm waiting for her to grow up."

"Oh! Is she little like me?" asked the chief bridesmaid, looking
slightly disappointed.

"She's just like you, sweetheart," said Noel, with cheery assurance.
"She has eyes of wedgewood blue, and hair of golden down, a mouth like a
rose, and the jolliest little turn-up nose in the world. And she's going
to be six next birthday."

This classic description was an instant revelation to the chief
bridesmaid. She blushed very sweetly, with pleasure unfeigned in which
shyness had no part. "Oh, Noel!" she breathed, in rapturous
anticipation. "But why must we wait till we're growed up?"

"We!" said Noel, who was twenty-two and a crack shot in the Regiment.

She kissed him propitiatingly. "I mean--dear Noel--. why can't we go and
get married now? I'm sure Mummy wouldn't mind."

"H'm! I wonder!" said Noel.

"I do love you so very much," said the chief bridesmaid, with eyes of
shining sincerity. "And you are just the beautifullest soldier _I_ ever
saw!"

He threw back his head in a laugh that showed his white teeth, to his
small adorer's huge delight. He was certainly a very gallant figure in
his red and gold uniform with his sword dangling at his side; and his
winning Irish ways gained him popularity wherever he went.

It was true that the chief bridesmaid's mother shook her head at him,
and called him fickle, but then his fickleness was of so open and boyish
an order that it could hardly be regarded as a fault, especially since
no one--with the exception of the chief bridesmaid--ever took him
seriously. And to her at least young Noel Wyndham was always tenderly
faithful in his allegiance.

On the present occasion, though nominally he had been acting as best man
to a brother officer, he had spent most of his time in the service of
the muslin-frocked, bare-legged atom who now sprawled upon his knee with
all the privilege of old acquaintance, assuring him of her whole-hearted
devotion and admiration.

He had just been giving her tea and wedding-cake, of which latter she
had eaten the sugar and he the cake, a wise divis