a contumelious remark regarding the symmetry of my
nether person. "But, on the whole, it is a manly and a simple garb, and
Edith cannot be such a fool as not to appreciate the motives which have
led me to assume it."

So saying, I rung the Bogles' bell. Edith was in the drawing-room, and
there also, to my no small mortification, was Lieutenant Roper. They
were sitting together on the sofa, and I rather thought Miss Bogle
started as I came in.

"Goodness gracious! Mr M'Whirter," cried she with a giggle--Edith never
looked well when she giggled--"What _have_ you been doing with
yourself?"

"I am not aware, Miss Bogle, that there is anything very
extraordinary"----

"O dear, no! I beg your pardon for laughing, but really you look so
funny! I have been so used, you know, to see you in a black coat, that
the contrast is rather odd. Pray forgive my ignorance, Mr M'Whirter, but
what _is_ that dress?"

"The uniform of the Mid-Lothian Yeomanry Cavalry, madam. We are going
into quarters next week."

"How very nice! Do you know it is one of the prettiest jackets I ever
saw? Don't you think so, Mr Roper?"

"Veway much so," replied Roper, reconnoitring me calmly through his
eyeglass. "A veway handsome turn-out indeed. 'Pon my honour, I had no
idea they got up things so cleverly in the fencibles"----

"Yeomanry, if you please, Lieutenant Roper!"

"Ah, yes! Yeomanry--so it is. I say, M'Whirter, 'pon my soul, do you
know, you look quite killing! Do, like a good fellow, just march to the
corner of the room, and let us have a look at you on the other side."

"Oh do, Mr M'Whirter!" supplicated, or rather supplemented Edith.

I felt as if I could have shot him.

"You'll excuse me, Roper, for not going through drill just now. If you
like to come to the review, you shall see how our regiment can behave.
At any rate, we shall be happy to see you at mess."

"Oh suttingly, suttingly! Veway good things those yeomanry messes.
Always a deal of claret, I believe."

"And pray, Mr M'Whirter, what rank do you hold in that distinguished
corps?" asked Edith.

"A full private, Miss Bogle."

"Goodness gracious!--then you're not even an officer!"

"A private of the yeomanry, Miss Bogle, is, let me inform you, totally
independent of rank. We enrol ourselves for patriotism, not for pay. We
are as honourable a body as the Archers of the Scots Guard, the
Cavaliers of Dundee, or the Mousquetaires"----

"How romantic and nice! I declare,