little cross with two words printed across its surface.

In her dream Peggy bent forward, and read those two words with a great
rush of joy and exultation.

"For Valour!"

"For Valour!" Yes, yes, it was quite true! Never was soldier flushed
with victory more deserving of that decoration than Arthur Saville in
his hour of disappointment and failure.

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

THE PARTING OF THE WAYS!

Arthur kept his word, and tried manfully not to let his own
disappointment interfere with the enjoyment of Christmas Day.

The party at the vicarage was smaller than usual, for Rob and Oswald had
both gone home for the festive season, and he knew well that the
knowledge that "Arthur was coming" had seemed the best guarantee of a
merry day to those who were left.

Peggy too--poor little Peg, with her bandaged hands and tiny white
face--it would never do to grieve her by being depressed and gloomy!

"Begone, dull care!" cried Arthur to himself then, when he awoke on
Christmas morning, and, promptly wrapping himself in his dressing-gown,
he sallied out on to the landing, where he burst into the strains of
"Christians, awake!" with such vigorous brush-and-comb accompaniment on
the panels of the doors as startled the household out of their dreams.

"Miserable boy! I was having such a lovely nap! I'll never forgive
you!" cried Mrs Asplin's voice, in sleepy wrath.

"Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!" shouted the girls; and Peggy's
clear pipe joined in last of all. "And many of them! Come in! Come
in! I was lying awake and longing to see you!"

Arthur put his ruffled head round the door and beamed at the little
figure in the bed, as if he had never known a trouble in his life.

"What a wicked story! I heard you snore. Merry Christmas, Peg, and a
Happy New Year! And don't you go for to do it again never no more!
It's a jolly morning. I'll take you out for a toddle in the garden when
we come home from church, if you are a good girl. Will you have your
present now, or wait till you get it? It begins with a B. I love my
love with a B, because she's a--"

"Oh, Arthur!" interrupted Peggy regretfully. "I haven't half such a
nice present for you as I expected. You see I couldn't work anything,
and I couldn't get out to the shops, and I hadn't nearly as much money
as I expected either. If Rob and I had won that prize, I should have
had ten pounds; but the stupid editors have put off announcing the
resul