e hot weather, for it has been terribly trying."

"Oh, bless your heart, Miss Minnie!" said the tall, sturdy,
buxom-looking woman who had just set down a big basket in the veranda,
"the weather doesn't make no difference to me. Whether it's hot or
whether it's cold, I have got to get my bit of washing done; though I am
a bit tried when it comes to that mounsoon, or mounseer, or whatever
they call it, when it's such strange, hard work to get the things dry.
But even then it ain't fair to complain, for the soft water's lovely,
and plenty of it. But I am late again this week, and it has been very
hard work to get the officers washed. 'Tain't half-an-hour since I took
young Mr Maine's home to his quarters. I hope your aunt ain't cross
with me."

"Oh no, she's not angry. She knew there must be some good reason. We
were half-afraid you were ill."

"Not me, Miss Minnie! I've never no time to be ill; and if I had been,
no matter how bad I was I should have been up here to the Doctor for one
of his exhibitions, as he calls them. I've brought his white suit,
miss, and it looks lovely. Shall I show it you?"

"I know how it will be, Mrs Smithers," said Minnie, smiling. "I am
glad there has been nothing wrong."

"Oh, don't you be glad, miss. It's sorry I am."

"Why, what's the trouble?"

"Trouble, miss? Oh, my master again. He will never be happy till he is
having the Rogues' March played over him, and the buttons that I keep
sewed on tighter than those of any man in his company cut off his
beautiful uniform, and him drummed out as a disgrace to the regiment."

"Dear, dear!" said Minnie. "I am very sorry, Mrs Smithers."

"Yes; I knowed you would be, my dear, if you will forgive me for calling
you so. You see, I have known you so long as such a dear, sweet young
lady, with no more pride in you than there is in one of our Jenny-wrens
at home."

"But what is the matter, Mrs Smithers?" said Minnie hastily, in an
effort to change the flow of the bronzed, burly woman's words into
another direction.

"You needn't ask, my dear. The old thing."

"What! surely not drinking again? I thought he had taken the pledge,
and that Sergeant Ripsy had promised you that he would keep a sharp eye
over your husband."

"Oh yes, miss, that's all right; and he daren't go to the canteen, for
they wouldn't admit him. But what's the use of that when he can manage
to get some of that nasty rack, as they call it, from the first M