ed him, "we shall settle down in London, and
you shall see all you want to see. There are quiet nooks and corners to
be had, even in London. I think I know the one I shall choose. Be a good
girl, Nelly, and go to Madame Celeste's. A garrison town is no place for
you. Unless, indeed, you would like to go to the Dowager, as she
wishes."

"I shan't go to the Dowager, and I shan't go to Madame Celeste's," said
Nelly, dimpling and sparkling. "I shall stay with my old Dad and take
care of him."

"What, Nell? 'Shan't'! You forget you're talking to your commanding
officer. Rank insubordination--that is what I call it!"

"Call it what you like," Miss Nelly replied. "I'm going to stay. A
finishing school at seventeen! I never heard the like!"

With that she put her arms round the General's neck, and that was the
final argument. Secretly, indeed, he was not altogether sorry to be
worsted. He had done his best to ward off the things that might happen.
Now he was going to trust in Providence and keep his little girl with
him. To be sure, he had known that she would never go to the Dowager's.
Nelly had never considered that possibility. After all, it was a relief
that they were not going to be parted.

During the two years Nelly, indeed, had many admirers and lovers, but
she was not attracted by any of them. She was kind and friendly and
engaging; but she was unconscious with her lovers, or so it seemed to
the jealous, fatherly eyes, to the verge of coldness.

He often said to himself that he could not understand Nell. None of the
gay, handsome, gallant soldier lads seemed to have the least attraction
in that way for her. To be sure, she was a child, and there was plenty
of time. Why shouldn't her old father keep her for the years to come?
Unless--unless, that fellow Robin had been beforehand with the
others--Robin, who had refused point-blank to be a soldier, and had
even, to the General's bitter offence, actually spoken at the Oxford
Union "On the Waste and Wickedness of a Standing Army." The General had
nearly had a fit over that. Good Heavens! Gerald's son, Sir Massey
Drummond's grandson, to be found on the side of the Philistines like
that! What chill was in the boy's blood? What crook in his character?
What bee in his bonnet?

The General had sworn then that Robin never should have his Nelly. But
the Dowager had been sapping and mining and laying plans to bring about
the marriage almost from Nelly's infancy, when she ha