er present bridal
belongings, sundries of the wealth which had accrued to her in an
earlier stage of her career.

And then Mrs Greenow opened her mind to Alice about the Captain.
"He's as good as gold, my dear; he is, indeed,--in his own way. Of
course, I know that he has faults, and I should like to know who
hasn't. Although poor dear Greenow certainly was more without them
than anybody else I ever knew." As this remembrance came upon Mrs
Greenow she put her handkerchief to her eyes, and Alice observed
that that which she held still bore the deepest hem of widowhood.
They would be used, no doubt, till the last day, and then put by in
lavender for future possible occasions. "Bellfield may have been a
little extravagant. I dare say he has. But how can a man help being
extravagant when he hasn't got any regular income? He has been
ill-treated in his profession; very. It makes my blood curdle when I
think of it. After fighting his country's battles through blood, and
dust, and wounds;--but I'll tell you about that another time."

"I suppose a man seldom does make a fortune, aunt, by being a
soldier?"

"Never, my dear; much better be a tailor. Don't you ever marry a
soldier. But as I was saying, he is the best-tempered creature
alive, and the staunchest friend I ever met. You should hear what Mr
Cheesacre says of him! But you don't know Mr Cheesacre?"

"No, aunt, not yet. If you remember, he went away before I saw him
when he came here before."

"Yes, I know, poor fellow! Between you and me, Kate might have had
him if she liked; but perhaps Kate was right."

"I don't think he would have suited Kate at all."

"Because of the farmyard, you mean? Kate shouldn't give herself airs.
Money's never dirty, you know. But perhaps it's all for the best.
There's a sweet girl here to whom he is violently attached, and who I
hope will become Mrs Cheesacre. But as I was saying, the friendship
between these two men is quite wonderful, and I have always observed
that when a man can create that kind of affection in the bosom of
another man, he invariably is,--the sort of man,--the man, in fact,
who makes a good husband."

Alice knew the story of Charlie Fairstairs and her hopes; knew of
the quarrels between Bellfield and Cheesacre; knew almost as much of
Bellfield's past life as Mrs Greenow did herself; and Mrs Greenow
was no doubt aware that such was the case. Nevertheless, she had a
pleasure in telling her own story, and told it