and smart-looking soldier; and although
now in civilian clothes--for his master had bought him out of the
service when he sent in his own papers--no one could avoid seeing
that he had served, for in addition to the military carriage there
was the evidence of two deep scars on his face, the handiwork of
the mutineers' sabres on the day when he had stood over his master
surrounded by rebel horse. His complexion was deeply bronzed by the
sun, and there was that steady but watchful expression in his eyes
that is characteristic of men who have gone through long and
dangerous service.

"I shall stay two or three days in town," Major Mallett said. "I
must get an entire refit before I go down. You had better come
round with me to the tailor's tomorrow, the first thing after
breakfast. You will want three or four suits, too."

"Yes, sir. And besides, they would like to know down there when you
are coming home. They are sure to want to give you a welcome."

"And you, too, Lechmere. I am sure that all your old friends will
give you as hearty a welcome as they will give me. Indeed, it ought
to be a good deal heartier, for you have been living among them all
your life, while I have been away for the most part ever since I
was a boy."

Four days later they went down to Chippenham. Mr. Norton, the
steward, was on the platform when the train came in.

"Welcome home again, sir," he said warmly, as Frank stepped from
the carriage. "We were all glad, indeed, when we heard that you
were back safe, and were coming down among us."

"I am glad enough to be back again, Norton," Frank Mallett said; as
he shook the man's hand. "We had warm work of it for a bit, but at
the end, when the excitement was over, one got pretty tired of it.

"This is George Lechmere, Norton," the Major said, as he went along
with the agent to where George was standing with the pile of
luggage. "You have heard how gallantly he behaved, and how he saved
my life at the risk of his own."

"How are you, George?" the agent said, as he shook hands with him.
"I should hardly have known you. Indeed, I am sure I should not
have done so if I had met you in the street. You seem to have grown
taller and altogether different."

"I have lost flesh a bit, Mr. Norton, and I have learnt to stand
upright, and I shall be some time before I get rid of this paint
the sun has given me."

"Yes, you are as brown as a berry, George. We saw in the gazette
about your getting the Vi