oing its annual training
at Aldershot.

A young man in civilian clothes sat at breakfast in the officers' mess-
tent. He was a visitor and guest, who had no obligation to early
rising, so he lay snug till the band, marching the Church of Englanders
off at nine o'clock, roused him and then performed a leisurely toilet.

And now he, the subaltern of the day, and the officer who was to take
the Roman Catholics, had the tent to themselves. The former was some
distance off, the latter sat next to him.

"I came only just in time for mess yesterday, so we had no opportunity
for a private chat," said the one in plain clothes. "But I have a lot
to say to you."

"Well, look here," replied the other, "my parade is at eleven; the dress
bugle has just gone for it. I shall be back by half-past twelve. Then
we will have lunch and go for a walk, you, I, and Strachan, if you
like."

"I should like it very much, though how you can expect me to eat lunch
after such a breakfast as this at such a late hour, I cannot imagine."

"Oh, the air here is wonderful for the appetite. Not like London and
Egypt, which seem to be your haunts."

"And the unaccountable disappearance of this will of uncle Richard's,
Kavanagh, has it put you in a very big hole?"

"Not just yet. The dear old man felt himself failing, and thought he
might forget me as weeks went on. So, instead of sending a quarterly
cheque, he paid my allowance for the whole year into the agent's hands.
So kind and thoughtful of him, was it not? But for the future, of
course, it will be rather awkward for me if the will does not turn up.
I go in directly after the training for the Competitive Examination, and
so does Strachan. We have both passed the Preliminary, and shall have
served our two trainings. Well, if I pass, it will be hard enough to
live on my pay, but I must get into the Indian or Gold Coast Services,
and try it that way. If I don't succeed, why then I have no idea what
to do next. At least, I have an idea, but there is no need to think it
out till the necessity comes."

"What do you think of your chance?"

"Well, my coach thinks it doubtful. He has known fellows get their
commissions who were worse up than I am, and he has known fellows fail
who were better up than I am. It depends on the lot of competitors, and
also on their quality, and a little bit on luck. There is a good bit of
luck in having the questions you have crammed set, you know."

"