t that she had
best go home. People make mistakes sometimes, and I think we both made a
mistake when we got married. Anyhow, we have both agreed that it is
best to part for a time."

Accordingly three or four days later Mrs. Humphreys left Agra for
Bombay, and was seen no more in the regiment. Sergeant Humphreys gave up
his stripes and returned to the ranks, and for two years remained there.
After his wife had left him he gradually gave up the habit into which he
had fallen, and at the end of the two years again became a
non-commissioned officer. He was never heard to speak of his wife after
she left him, nor so far as his comrades knew did he ever receive a
letter from her. Soon after he had again got his stripes the regiment
returned to England, and a month later Captain Clinton sent in his
papers and retired from the service.

CHAPTER II.

AT CHELTENHAM.

"Everything packed and ready, boys?"

"Yes, father, I think so."

"The dog-cart will be at the door at eleven. Be sure and be ready in
time. It won't do to miss your train, you know. Well, you have had a
pleasant holiday this time, haven't you?"

"Very," both boys replied together.

"It has been awfully jolly," one went on, "and that trip in Brittany was
certainly the best thing we have done, though we have always enjoyed our
holidays. It is ever so much nicer going to out-of-the-way sort of
places, and stopping at jolly little inns without any crowd and fuss,
than being in those great Swiss hotels as we were last year, where every
one was English, and one had to be in at regular times and almost fight
to get something to eat. I hope next year you will be able to take us to
Norway, as you were saying yesterday. I should think it would be just
the same sort of thing as Brittany, only, of course, different sort of
scenery, and different language and different people. Madge, you will
have to set to and get up Norse to act as our interpreter."

"You are very lazy boys. I had to do all the talking in Brittany. You
are supposed to have learnt French longer than I have."

"Oh, yes; supposed. Nobody cares about their French lessons. They make
no difference in your place in the school, and so no one takes the
trouble to grind at them. Well, come along, let us take a turn round the
place for an hour before we start." And the two boys and Madge, who was
a year their junior, went out through the French window into the garden.

Captain Clinton walked to the