w.

"Your chum's in the blues," said the lively corporal, in a lower voice.

"Young fellows are often in that state after joining, ain't they?"
returned Armstrong.

"True for ye--an' more shame to them, whin they ought to be as proud as
paycocks at wearin' her gracious Majesty's uniform. But good luck to
'ee! I must be off, for I'm bound for Aigypt mesilf."

"I am glad that I shall have the chance of seeing your wife, for I've
been much interested in her since your friend Sergeant Gilroy told me
about her," said Miles, as they resumed their walk. "Surely it is hard
of them to refuse to let her go with the regiment."

"Well, it _is_ hard," returned the young soldier; "but after all I
cannot find fault with the powers that be, for I married with my eyes
open. I knew the rule that those who marry without leave must leave
their wives at home, for only a certain number of families can go abroad
with a regiment--and that only in peace-time."

"It might have been well," continued Armstrong, slowly, while a sad
expression clouded his face for a few moments, "if I had waited, and
many a time has my conscience smitten me for my haste. But what could I
do? Emmy most unaccountably fell in love wi' me--_thank God_! for I do
think that the greatest earthly blessing that can be given to mortal man
is the love of a gentle, true-hearted girl. The wealth of the Indies
cannot purchase that, and nothing else in life can supply the want of
it. Can you wonder that I grasped the treasure when within my reach?"

"I certainly cannot; and as certainly I do not blame you," returned the
sympathetic Miles.

"Of course I fell in love with Emmy," continued the soldier, with a
slightly confused look. "I could no more help that than I could help
growing up. Could I?"

"Certainly not," said Miles.

"Well, you see," continued his friend, "as the affair was arranged in
heaven, according to general belief, what was I that I should resist?
You see, Emmy's father, who's a well-to-do farmer, was willing, and we
never gave a thought to Egypt or the war at the time. She will be well
looked after while I'm away, and I'll send her every penny of my pay
that I can spare, but--"

He stopped abruptly, and Miles, respecting his feelings, remarked, by
way of changing the subject, that, the pay of a private soldier being so
small, very little could be saved out of that.

"Not much," assented his comrade; "but, little as it is, we can increase