ctoria Cross in saving the squire's life.
I can tell you every man on the estate felt proud of you.

"Are you ready to be off, sir?"

"Yes. I suppose you have got the dog cart outside, as I asked you?"

"Well, no, sir," the agent said, in a tone of some embarrassment.
"You see the tenants had made up their minds that you ought to come
in a different sort of style, and so without asking me about it
they ordered an open carriage to be here to meet you. I knew
nothing about it until last night. The dog cart is here and will
take up your luggage."

"Well, I suppose it cannot be helped," Mallett laughed. "Of course,
they meant it kindly."

"I will see the luggage got in the dog cart, and come over with
it," Lechmere said.

"You can see it into the dog cart, George, but you must come with
me. I have got to put up with it, and you must, too."

He stood chatting with Mr. Norton on the platform till George
returned, and said that the luggage was all packed, and that the
dog cart had gone on ahead. There was an amused look on his face,
which was explained when, on going out, Mallett found an open
carriage with four horses, with postilions in new purple silk
jackets and orange caps, and large rosettes of the same colour at
the horses' heads.

"Bless me," said the Major, in a tone of dismay. "I shall feel as
if I were a candidate for the county."

"They are the family colours, you see, sir."

"Yes, I know, Norton, and the Conservative colours, too. Well, it
cannot be helped, and it does not make much difference after all.

"There will be no fuss when I get there I hope, Norton," he went
on, as he took his place, and Lechmere climbed up into the seat
behind.

"Well, sir," the agent said, apologetically, "there is an arch or
two. You see, the tenants wanted to do the thing properly, and the
school children will be on the lawn, and there are going to be some
bonfires in the evening, and they have got a big box of fireworks
down from London. Why, sir, it would be strange if they did not
give you a welcome after going through all that, and being wounded
three times and getting so much credit. Why, it wouldn't be
English, sir."

"I suppose it's all right," Mallett said, resignedly; "and, indeed,
Norton, one cannot help being pleased at seeing one's tenants glad
to have one home again."

In half-an-hour's drive they arrived at the boundary of the estate.
Here an arch had been erected, and a score of the tenants and
te