lly allowed that he had done the right thing, and that no one
could do more. Opinion, however, was less favourable as to his wife. It
was soon evident to all who lived in the non-commissioned officers'
quarters that things were not going on well between Sergeant Humphreys
and his wife. There were frequent and violent quarrels. The sergeant was
often down at the canteen drinking more than was good for him.

One day Captain Clinton sent for him. "Sergeant, I am sorry to say that
I hear from the sergeant-major that you were drunk last night, and that
you have several times been the worse for liquor. It is not a formal
complaint, but I thought it better to talk to you. You have always been
a very steady man, and I should be sorry in the extreme if any thing
should happen which would cause you to be brought before the colonel. I
have no doubt this affair has troubled you greatly, and that it is
entirely owing to that that you have become unsettled. Try to pull
yourself round, man. You know that nobody attributes the slightest
shadow of blame to you in the matter."

"Thank you, sir. I was coming to see you if you hadn't sent for me, to
say that I wished to give up my stripes and return to the ranks. I know
I shall be degraded if I don't do it of my own free-will, and I would
rather go down than be sent down."

"But what will your wife do? It would be a great change to her,
Humphreys."

"My wife has made up her mind to go home, sir, and I think it is the
best thing she can do. She will never be comfortable in the regiment,
and to say the truth we are not comfortable together. She says that she
has friends in England she will go and stay with, and I think it is best
to let her go. I would rather cut my hand off than ask for any thing for
myself, but as I am sure that it is for the best that she should go, and
as I don't hear of any invalids or women going home at present, I should
be very much obliged if you would lend me twenty pounds. I have got
thirty laid by, and fifty will be enough to send her across by rail to
Bombay, pay her passage home, and leave her twenty pounds in hand when
she gets there. I will pay it off so much a month."

"You are welcome to twenty pounds without any talk of repayment,
Humphreys. But I wouldn't take any hasty step if I were you. If your
wife and you have had a quarrel she may change her mind in a day or two,
and think better of it."

"No, sir; I think we are pretty well agreed on the poin