hazard. As he ascended, it seemed to him that
he heard the sound of feminine laughter in the distance. If so, it
could hardly have come from the lady whom he was in quest of, for he was
shown into a large and well-furnished room, where she sat looking demure
and grave enough, as did another young lady who was crocheting on the
ottoman beside her.

The major made his most courtly bow, though he felt very much as the
Spaniards may be supposed to have done when they saw their ships blazing
behind them. "I trust you will excuse this intrusion on my part," he
began. "I happened to hear that a lady of the name of Scully was
stopping here."

"My name is Scully, sir," said the lady, whose dark eyes had allured the
major to this feat of daring.

"Then perhaps, madam," the veteran said with another bow, "you will
allow me to ask you whether you are any relation to Major-gineral
Scully, of the Indian Sappers?"

"Pray take a seat, Major--Major Clutterbuck," said Mrs. Scully,
referring to his card, which she still held in her very well-formed
little hand. "Major-general Scully, did you say? Dear me! I know that
one of my husband's relations went into the army, but we never heard
what became of him. A major-general, is he? Whoever would have thought
it!"

"As dashing a souldier, madam," said the major, warming into eloquence,
"as ever hewed a way through the ranks of the enemy, or stormed the
snow-clad passes of the Himalayas."

"Fancy!" ejaculated the young lady with the crochet needle.

"Many a time," continued the soldier, "he and I after some hard-fought
battle have slept togither upon the blood-stained ground wrapped in the
same martial cloak."

"Fancy!" cried both ladies in chorus; and they could not have selected a
more appropriate interjection.

"And when at last he died," the major went on with emotion, "cut in two
with a tulwar in a skirmish with hill tribes, he turned to me--"

"After being cut in two?" interrupted the younger lady.

"He turned to me," said the major inflexibly, "and putting his hand in
mine, he said, with his last breath, 'Toby'--that was what he always
called me--'Toby,' he said, 'I have a--' Your husband was his brother,
I think you said, ma'am?"

"No, it was Mr. Scully's uncle who went into the army."

"Ah, quite so. 'I have a nephew in England,' he said, 'who is very dear
to me. He is married to a charming woman. Search out the young couple,
Toby. Guard over them. Proti