with a sudden cry, the mother burst into tears.

CHAPTER V.

A HOME STATION--WHAT MRS. BULLER THOUGHT OF IT--WHAT MAJOR BULLER
THOUGHT OF IT.

Riflebury, in the south of England--our next station--was a very lively
place. "There was always something going on." "Somebody was always
dropping in." "People called and stayed to lunch in a friendly way."
"One was sure of some one at afternoon tea." "What with croquet and
archery in the Gardens, meeting friends on the Esplanade, concerts at
the Rooms, shopping, and changing one's novels at the circulating
library, one really never had a dull hour." So said "everybody;" and one
or two people, including Major Buller, added that "One never had an hour
to one's self."

"If you had any one occupation, you'd know how maddening it is," he
exclaimed, one day, in a fit of desperation.

"Any one occupation!" cried Mrs. Buller, to whom he had spoken. "I'm
sure, Edward, I'm always busy. I never have a quiet moment from morning
to night, it seems to me. But it is so like you men! You can stick to
one thing all along, and your meals come to you as if they dropped out
of the skies, and your clothes come ready-made from the tailor's (and
very dearly they have to be paid for, too!); and when one is ordering
dinner and luncheon, and keeping one's clothes decent, and looking after
the children and the servants, and taking your card, and contriving
excuses that are not fibs for you to the people you ought to call on,
from week's end to week's end--you say one has no occupation."

"Well, well, my dear," said the Major, "I know you have all the trouble
of the household, but I meant to say that if you had any pursuit, any
study----"

"And as to visitors," continued Aunt Theresa, who always pursued her own
train of ideas, irrespective of replies, "I'm sure society's no pleasure
to me; I only call on the people you ought to call on, and keep up a few
acquaintances for the children's sake. You wouldn't have us without a
friend in the world when the girls come out; and really, what with
regimental duties in the morning, and insects afterwards, Edward, you
are so absorbed, that if it wasn't for a lady friend coming in now and
then, I should hardly have a soul to speak to."

The Major was melted in a moment.

"I am afraid I am a very inattentive husband," he said. "You must
forgive me, my dear. And this sprained ankle keeping me in makes me
cross, too. And I had so reckoned on these day