or pike thrust, or by the fevers
which they say are not uncommon, then it is possible I may come back at
the end of the war with some honor and credit, and, the sergeant said,
may even obtain advancement to the rank of an officer. Therefore my late
master, having done me many good turns, may perhaps find that this last
one--even though he intended it not--is the best of all. Will you make
my respects to him, dear cousin, and tell him that I feel no grudge or
ill will against him? Will you give my love to my Cousin Alice? Tell her
that I will bring her home some rare keepsakes from Spain should they
fall in my way; and you know I will do the same for yourself, who have
always been so good and kind to me."

"The boy is not a bad boy," the mayor said, well pleased as he laid down
the letter. "It may be that I have judged him too harshly, seeing that
he set himself against what was best for his welfare. Still, one cannot
expect men's heads on boys' shoulders, and he writes dutifully and
properly. I believe it is the fault of Andrew Carson, who was forever
edging me on by reports of the boy's laziness and carelessness. He
certainly has a grudge against him, and he assuredly exceeded his place
and authority when he lifted his hand against my wife's cousin. It seems
to me truly that I have acted somewhat hastily and wrong headedly in the
matter. I shall give Master Carson notice that at the end of a month
I shall require his services no longer--the fellow puts himself too
forward. That will please Mary; she never liked him, and women in these
matters of likes and dislikes are shrewder than we are. Perhaps when she
hears that he is going, and reads this letter, which I will forward
to her by the carrier, she may come back to me. I certainly miss her
sorely, and the household matters go all wrong now that she is away. She
ought not to have said things to me; but no wise man thinks anything of
what a woman says when she's angry; and now that I think things over, it
certainly seems to me that she had some sort of warrant for her words.
Yes, I certainly don't know what can have come over me, unless it was
that fellow, Andrew Carson. Richard Anthony has not been considered a
bad fellow else he would never have become the Mayor of Southampton; and
for fifteen years Mary and I have got on very well together, save
for the little disputes which have arisen from her over masterful
disposition. But she is a good wife--none could wish for