a one to be mixed up with a
family that has lost caste,--to flirt with or make love to girls who
are not above making gowns for my butcher's wife? Before Hammond does
such a thing as that----" And here the colonel paused from excess of
emotion.

"You are perfectly right to defend your son from such danger,"
returned the young clergyman with covert sarcasm. "In your case I
should probably feel the same. But, in my position, being intimate
with those ladies of whom you speak, and having had good opportunity
to form my opinions of them, I cannot help saying, in their defence,
that even your son, excellent officer as he is,--and, I am sure, a
most worthy young man,--would scarcely be dishonored by an alliance
with the finest young gentlewomen I ever met!" And, as he said this,
with all due gravity, Archie released his arm, and, with a farewell
nod, went off, leaving the colonel, open-mouthed and gasping with
astonishment, at his own gate.

Elizabeth met him on the threshold.

"Oh, father, why did you not bring Mr. Drummond in!" she said,
reproachfully; "it is so long since he has paid us a visit."

"Poor Drummond!" replied the colonel, with a mournful shake of his
head: "it is just as I thought. He has almost owned it, in fact. He is
seriously smitten with one of those Challoner girls, and before long
there will be a wedding in the place."

"Now, father, this is just one of your whimsies," replied Elizabeth,
placidly. "Mr. Drummond is going to have his favorite sister, Grace,
to live with him and keep his house. He told me so himself; and that
does not look as though he expected to bring home a wife. So you may
just put this idea out of your head." But, though Elizabeth was well
aware of the truth of her words, that no new mistress was to come to
the vicarage, still her fine sympathy and unerring woman's divination
had read the meaning of the young vicar's clouded brow, and she knew
that he, too, had to try and be grateful for "the blessings that went
over his head."

Archie's grand and somewhat heroic speech failed in its effect, as far
as the colonel was concerned. Elizabeth was right in saying her father
was longing to know the Challoners. The old man's fancy had been
mightily taken by the girls; but for Hammond, for his boy's sake, he
was capable of any amount of self-denial. Once he was sorely tempted
to give in. When turning the corner of the Braidwood Road, not far
from his own house, he came suddenly upon h