could look after Aggie while you are busy."

"Fifty pounds a year!" Mrs. Walsham said, greatly surprised. "That is a
large sum, a great deal too large a sum for you to pay for the care of
such a little child. For half that, there are scores of farmers' wives
who would be happy to take her, and where she would be far more happy
and comfortable than she would be with me."

"I know I could get plenty to take her," the soldier said, "but I have
reasons, very particular reasons, why I wish to place her with a lady
for two years. I cannot explain those reasons to you, but you may
imagine they must be strong ones, for me to be willing to pay fifty
pounds a year for her. That money has been laid by from the day she was
born, for that purpose. I have other reasons, of my own, for wishing
that she should be at Sidmouth rather than at any other place; and I
have another reason," and a slight smile stole across his face, "for
preferring that she should be with you rather than anyone else. All
this must seem very strange to you, madam; but at the end of the two
years, when you know what my reasons were, you will acknowledge that
they were good ones.

"God knows," he went on, looking very grave, "what a wrench it will be
for me to part with her. How lonely I shall be, as I tramp the country
without her pretty prattle to listen to; but I have got to do it sooner
or later, and these two years, when I can see her sometimes, will be a
break, and accustom me to do without her sweet face.

"Please, madam," he urged, "do not give me a final answer today. I
shall not go till Monday, and will call again, if you will let me, that
morning; and believe me, if I could tell you all, I could give you
reasons which would, I think, induce you to change your mind."

So saying, he made a military salute, took the child's hand in his, and
was soon striding along towards the sea.

Mrs. Walsham was some time before she recovered from her surprise. This
was, indeed, a mysterious affair. The earnestness with which the old
soldier pleaded his cause had moved her strongly, and had almost
persuaded her to accept the proposal, which had at first seemed
preposterous. Fifty pounds a year, too, was certainly a handsome sum.
She could get a girl from the village for two or three shillings a week
to look after the child, and go out with her during school hours, and a
hundred pounds would be a very handsome addition to the sum which she
had begun, little by li