e a Sapper by
any chance? for they're the worst of all--considering themselves, as
they do, the brains of the army."

"I don't think so," said Sir George; "he's not clever enough. He's
only got moderate ability and an uncommonly pretty seat on a horse.
He'll get Field all right. But why are you so sure, my dear, that
he'll be your fate? Why not Gallup here? and you could try and convert
him to your views on the Suffrage question? He'd be some use, you
know. He _has_ a vote."

Again Eloquent blessed the darkness as he coloured hotly and brought
his mind back to the present with a violent wrench. He knew he ought
to say something, but what? He fervently hoped they would not assign
him to this severe self-possessed young lady who thought cadets
conceited and had political views. Heavens! she might be another
Elsmaria Buttermish with no blessed transformation later on into
something human and approachable.

"I'm afraid"--he heard Miss Bax talking as it were an immense way off
as he floated away on the wings of his dream--"that my views would
startle Mr Gallup."

The motor turned in at the drive gates, they had reached the door.

Eloquent was right in the middle of his dream.

He followed Lady Campion and Miss Bax across the hall and down a
corridor to a room he had never been in when he was a child.

Fusby threw open a door and announced loudly, "Sir George and Lady
Campion, Miss Bax, Mr Gallup."

They were the last of the guests.

For a little while he was less conscious of his dream. This light,
bright room with white panelled walls and furniture covered with gay
chintzes, soft blurred chintz in palest pinks and greens, with pictures
in oval frames, and people, ordinary people that he had seen before,
all talking and laughing together. This was not the Redmarley that he
knew, grave and beautiful and old.

This was not the Redmarley of his dream. It came back to him as Mrs
Ffolliot gave him her hand in welcome, presenting him to her husband
and one or two other people. It left him as she turned away and
Grantly came forward and greeted him. Grantly, tall and irreproachably
well dressed, cheerful withal and quite at his ease.

Sir George had pulled Mary into the very middle of the room and held
her at arm's length with laughing comments. How could men find the
courage for that sort of thing? He heard him ask what she had done
with her sash, and then Mrs Ffolliot said, "I think you know my
daugh