the parapet.

"I have no one particular to write to, Captain Mallett, and the
only persons who will feel any severe sorrow if I fall tomorrow are
my creditors."

"We should all be sorry, Marshall, very sorry. Ever since we sailed
from Plymouth your conduct has shown that you have determined to
retrieve your previous folly. The Colonel himself spoke to me about
it the other day, and remarked that he had every hope that you
would turn out a steady and useful officer. We have all noticed
that beyond the regular allowance of wine you have drunk nothing,
and that you did not touch a card throughout the voyage."

"I have not spent a penny since I went on board at Plymouth," the
lad said. "I got the paymaster to give me an order on London for
the amount of pay due to me the day we got to Cawnpore, and posted
it to Morrison; so he has got some fifteen pounds out of the fire.
Of course it is not much, but at any rate it will show him I mean
to pay up honestly."

"Well done, lad. You are quite right to give up cards, and to cut
yourself off liquors beyond the Queen's allowance; but don't stint
yourself in necessaries. For instance, fruit is necessary here, and
of course when we once get into settled quarters, you must keep a
horse of some sort, as everyone else will do so. How much did you
really have from Morrison in cash?"

"Three hundred; for which I gave him bills for four fifty and a
lien on my commission."

"All right, lad, I will write to my solicitor in London, and get
him to see Morrison, and ask him to meet you fairly in the matter.
He will know that it will be years before you are likely to be in
England again, and that if you are killed he will lose altogether;
so under these circumstances I have no doubt that he will be glad
enough to make a considerable abatement, perhaps to content himself
with the sum that you really had from him."

"I am afraid that my letter, with the enclosure, assuring him that
I will in time pay the amount due, will harden his heart," Marshall
laughed. "I am much obliged all the same, but I don't think that it
will be of any use."

However, on leaving him, Mallett went downstairs, borrowed some ink
from the quartermaster, and wrote to his solicitor, enclosing a
cheque for 300 pounds, with instructions to see the money lender.

"You will find that he will be glad enough to hand over young
Marshall's bills for four fifty for that amount," he said. "He has
already had fifteen pounds