ur
father allow you to marry a non-commissioned officer in the York
Hussars?'

She flushed. This practical step had not been in her mind in relation to
such an unrealistic person as he was; and a moment's reflection was
enough for it. 'My father would not--certainly would not,' she answered
unflinchingly. 'It cannot be thought of! My dear friend, please do
forget me: I fear I am ruining you and your prospects!'

'Not at all!' said he. 'You are giving this country of yours just
sufficient interest to me to make me care to keep alive in it. If my
dear land were here also, and my old parent, with you, I could be happy
as I am, and would do my best as a soldier. But it is not so. And now
listen. This is my plan. That you go with me to my own country, and be
my wife there, and live there with my mother and me. I am not a
Hanoverian, as you know, though I entered the army as such; my country is
by the Saar, and is at peace with France, and if I were once in it I
should be free.'

'But how get there?' she asked. Phyllis had been rather amazed than
shocked at his proposition. Her position in her father's house was
growing irksome and painful in the extreme; his parental affection seemed
to be quite dried up. She was not a native of the village, like all the
joyous girls around her; and in some way Matthaus Tina had infected her
with his own passionate longing for his country, and mother, and home.

'But how?' she repeated, finding that he did not answer. 'Will you buy
your discharge?'

'Ah, no,' he said. 'That's impossible in these times. No; I came here
against my will; why should I not escape? Now is the time, as we shall
soon be striking camp, and I might see you no more. This is my scheme. I
will ask you to meet me on the highway two miles off; on some calm night
next week that may be appointed. There will be nothing unbecoming in it,
or to cause you shame; you will not fly alone with me, for I will bring
with me my devoted young friend Christoph, an Alsatian, who has lately
joined the regiment, and who has agreed to assist in this enterprise. We
shall have come from yonder harbour, where we shall have examined the
boats, and found one suited to our purpose. Christoph has already a
chart of the Channel, and we will then go to the harbour, and at midnight
cut the boat from her moorings, and row away round the point out of
sight; and by the next morning we are on the coast of France, near
Cherbour