l certain about it. Before--ever since the war
began--I was always horribly afraid, but now I'm not afraid any more.
It can't last for ever; and some day we'll all go back."

"And that will be the best thing in the world," said Jim.

"The very best," she said.

Some one tapped at the door.

"May I come in?" asked Miss de Lisle's voice. She entered, bearing a
little tray.

"You!" said Norah. "But you shouldn't."

"Bride and Katty have gone to church, so I thought I'd bring you some
tea and wish you a merry Christmas," said Miss de Lisle. "But I
didn't expect to find the Captain here." She did not wait for their
greetings, but vanished with the elephantine swiftness peculiar to
her; returning in a few moments with a second tray.

"And toast!" said Jim. "But where's your own, Miss de Lisle?"

"Never mind mine--I'll have it in the kitchen," said the cook-lady.

"Indeed, you will not. Sit down." He marched off, unheeding her
protests. When he returned, he bore a large kitchen tray, with the
teapot.

"It seemed simpler," he said. "And I couldn't find anything smaller.
This cup is large, Miss de Lisle, but then you won't want it filled so
often. Have some of my toast--I couldn't possibly eat all this."

"Well, it's very pleasant here," said the cook-lady, yielding meekly.
"I took some to Mr. Wally, but he merely said, 'Get out, Judkins; I'm
not on duty!' and rolled over. So I concluded, in Katty's words, that
'his resht was more to him,' and came away."

"He'll wake up presently and be very pleased to find it; it won't
matter to him at all if it's stone-cold," said Jim. "Queer chap, Wal.
I prefer tea with the chill off it, myself. Judkins has hard times
getting him up in time for early parade. Luckily Judkins is an old
regular soldier, and has a stern, calm way with a young officer."

"Who bullies _you_ into getting up, may I ask?" demanded Miss de
Lisle.

"I used to be bullied by a gentleman called Wilkes, in the grey days
when I was a subaltern," said Jim sadly. "Now, alas, I am a
responsible and dignified person, and I have to set an example." He
sighed. "It's awful to be a captain!"

"It's so extraordinary," said his sister, "that I never get used to
it."

"But you never had any respect for age," said Jim, removing her tray
and putting a pillow on her head. "Every one finished? then I'll
clear away the wreck and go and dress." He piled the three trays on
top of each other and goose-