.

"Well, he might have been killed outright in battle, don't you know;
accidents will happen now and then; it is just luck, you see, and Owen
always is such an unlucky beggar."

Bessie refuted this with some vivacity. She explained that though it
might be a man's duty to die for his country, it was quite another thing
to imperil a valuable life on a mere game; but she could make no
impression on the solemn-faced captain.

"But it is an uncommonly good game, don't you know," he persisted; and
Bessie gave up the point, for Captain Broughton's mind seemed as wooden
as his face.

"It was no good talking to such a man," she observed to Edna, as they
drove home; "he said 'Don't you know' at the end of every sentence, and
seemed so stupid."

"Are you talking about Captain Broughton?" asked Edna calmly. "My dear
Daisy, it is not always wise to judge by appearances. Captain Broughton
is not specially amusing in conversation, but he is a brave fellow. Do
you know, he wears the Victoria Cross for his gallantry in saving a
wounded soldier; only a private too. Yes; though he was wounded himself,
he carried him off the field. He was a village lad--one of his own
tenants--who had followed him out to India, and when another ball struck
him he just staggered on."

"Oh, dear," groaned Bessie; "this is a punishment to me for judging too
quickly. To think I had the opportunity for the first time in my life of
talking to a hero, and that I called him stupid! This is a case of
entertaining angels unawares. But if one could only know they were
angels."

Edna only laughed at this; but Bessie found food for uncomfortable
reflection all the way home. The rain had ceased at last, but not before
Edna had grown secretly conscious of the lateness of the hour. It was
nearly seven before the weather allowed them to start, and for the last
half hour she had stood at the window quite oblivious of Captain Grant's
entreaties that she would make herself comfortable, and evidently deaf
to his unmeaning compliments for she answered absently, and with a
manner that showed that she was ill at ease.

The moment the rain ceased, she asked him peremptorily to order her
pony-chaise round.

"Mamma will be getting anxious at this long delay," she said, so gravely
that Captain Grant dare not disobey her.

"You will come over next Saturday and see our match with the Hussars,"
he pleaded, as she gathered up the reins.

"Perhaps; but I will not promise,"