or
of the regiment, while the rest of the officers had resumed their
places, and the dinner was going on.

"Well, sir," said the elderly, florid officer, with assumed sternness,
as he fixed the lad with his keen grey eyes, "what have you to say for
yourself? How are you come here and interrupt the most brilliant player
in my band?"

There was a roar of laughter from all present, and Richard was conscious
of a sharp face belonging to a bandsman peering between the palm-leaves.

"I beg your pardon, sir," said the lad, frankly, "but I stopped to hear
the music; the air was very familiar, and I had my instrument in my
pocket, and--well, sir, that's all."

"Oh!" said the old officer, scanning him sharply; "then you are not a
street musician?"

"I, sir? Oh, no," cried Richard--"that is, I don't know; I suppose I
shall be."

"Humph! Well, you played that piece from the _Trovatore_ capitally.
The gentlemen here would like to hear something else--er--I should, too.
Know any other airs?"

"A few, sir."

"Mind playing?"

"Not to so appreciative an audience," came to the lad's lips; but he
only said, "Oh, no, sir."

"Go on, then. Here, Johnson, give the musician a glass of wine. By the
way, Lacey, you were going to tell us a story about something."

The big, good-looking officer smiled, shook his head, and wrinkled up
his forehead in a perplexed way as he looked up at the ceiling.

"The flute-player blew it all out of his head, sir," said a rather
fierce-looking man who took the foot of the table, and there was another
laugh.

At that moment the band at the end of the great mess-room recommenced
playing, but there were cries of "No! no!" headed by the officer at the
head.

But the band heard nothing but their own instruments, and Richard stood
looking on, feeling faint and more weary than ever, and paying no heed
to the glass of champagne the servant had placed upon a side-table near
him, for he had been busy fitting together his flute.

"Go and tell them to leave off," said the old officer, and one of the
servants hurried to the corner and checked the players, who could now be
seen whispering together.

"Now, Mr Wandering Minstrel," said the officer at the foot, "we are all
attention."

Dick's brow knit a little. "Mr Wandering Minstrel," in such a tone,
jarred upon him, and a peculiar trembling came over him as he felt that
he had forgotten everything. The table, with its plate and glass,
looked mis