ere friends before either of you were born," he
said simply. "I was a cornet in his old regiment. Little Lady Mary
played at the knee of the poor young subaltern."

"Oh," said I meanly, "you are, then, a kind of uncle."

"Aye," said he, "a kind of uncle. So much of an uncle," he added with
more energy, "that when she gave me this note I thought much of acting
like a real uncle. From what I have unfortunately overheard, I suspect
that the Earl--aw--disagrees with you on certain points."

He averted his face as he handed me the note, and eagerly I tore it
open. It was unsigned. It contained but three words: "God spare you!"
And so I marched in a tumult of joy to a duel wherein I was expected
to be killed.

I glanced at the Colonel. His countenance was deeply mournful. "'Tis
for few girls I would become a dove to carry notes between lovers," he
said gloomily. "Damn you for it, O'Ruddy!"

"Nay, Colonel," said I. "'Tis no missive of love. Look you!"

But still he kept his eyes averted. "I judge it was not meant for my
eyes," he said, still very gloomy.

But here I flamed up in wrath:

"And would the eye of an angel be allowed to rest upon this paper if
it were not fit that it should be so?" I demanded in my anger.
"Colonel, am I to hear you bleat about doves and lovers when a glance
of your eye will disabuse you? Read!"

He read. "'God spare you!'" he repeated tenderly. Then he addressed me
with fine candor. "Aye, I have watched her these many years, O'Ruddy.
When she was a babe I have seen her in her little bath. When she was a
small girl I have seen her asleep with some trinket clasped in her
rosy hand on the coverlet. Since she has been a beautiful young lady I
have--but no matter. You come along, named nobody, hailing from
nowhere; and she--she sends me out to deliver her prayer that God may
spare you!"

I was awed by this middle-aged sorrow. But, curse him! when she was a
babe he had seen her in her little bath, had he? Damn his eyes! He had
seen the baby naked in her tiny tub? Damn his eyes again! I was in
such a fury that I longed to fight Royale on the spot and kill him,
running my sword through his memory so that it would be blotted out
forever, and never, never again, even in Paradise, could he recall the
image in the little tub.

But the Colonel's next words took the rage out of me.

"Go in, O'Ruddy," he cried heartily. "There is no truer man could win
her. As my lady says, 'God spare you!'"

"And