his
stirrups and lifting a hand for silence. "I ask ye to listen to the
racket down yonder. The drum, now!" (Sure enough Captain Arbuthnot,
pricking his ears, heard the tunding of a drum far away in the woods
to the southward.) "Man, they've diddled us! While they put that
trick on us at Talland Cove, their haill womankind was rafting the
true cargo up the river. I've ridden down, I tell you, and the clue
of their game I hold in my two hands here from start to finish.
The brandy's yonder in Sir Felix's woods, and the men are lying
around it fou-drunk as the Israelites among the pots. Man, if ye
would turn to-night's laugh, turn your troop and follow, and ye shall
cull them like gowans!"

"It is throwing the haft after the hatchet," hesitated Captain
Arbuthnot, impressed against his will by the earnestness of the
appeal. "You have misled us once to-night, I must remind you; and I
give you fair warning that my troopers will not bear fooling twice."

With all his faults the Riding Officer did not lack courage.
Disdaining the threat, he waved his hand to the Dragoons to follow
and put his horse at a canter down the leafy lane.

It is recorded in the High History of the Grail, of Sir Lohot, son of
King Arthur, that he had a marvellous weakness; which was, that no
sooner had he slain a man than he fell across his body. So it
happened this night to the valiant men of Troy.

The Dragoons, emerging from the woods of Pentethy into close view of
the house and its terrace and slope that falls from the terrace to
the river, found themselves intruders upon the queerest of domestic
dramas.

On the terrace among the leaden gods danced a little man, wigless, in
an orange-coloured dressing-gown and a fury of choler. At the head
of the green slope immediately under the balustrade Major Hymen,
surrounded by a moderately sober staff, faced the storm in an
attitude at once dignified and patient.

"An idea has occurred to me," he put in at length with stately
deliberation as Sir Felix paused panting for fresh words of
opprobrium. "It is, sir, that overlooking the few minutes by which
our salvoes were--er--antedated, you allow us to acclaim your
latest-born as Honorary-Colonel of our corps."

"But," almost shrieked Sir Felix, "damn your eyes, it's _twins_--and
both _girls_!"

The Major winced. A rosy flush of indignation mantled his cheeks,
and only his habitual respect for the landed gentry (whom he was
accustomed to c