"I think she has left off her long words," said Rose.

"She is not a civilian now," said Conrade, quite unconscious of Ermine's

amusement at his confidences as he pushed behind her. "I did think it

a most benighted thing to marry her, but that's what it is. Military

discipline has made her conformable." Having placed the chair on a spot

which commanded the scene, the boy and girl rushed off to take their

part in the sport, leaving Ermine looking down a steep bank at the huge

ring of performers, with linked hands, advancing and receding to the

measure of a chanted verse round a figure in the centre, who made

gesticulations, pursued and caught different individuals in the ring,

and put them through a formula which provoked shouts of mirth. Ermine

much enjoyed the sight, it was pretty to watch the 'prononce' dresses

of the parish children, interspersed with the more graceful forms of the

little gentry, and here and there a taller lady. Then Ermine smiled to

recognise Alison as usual among her boys, and Lady Temple's soft greys

and whites, and gentle floating movements, as she advanced and receded

with Stephana in one hand, and a shy infant-school child in the other.

But Ermine's eye roamed anxiously, for though Rachel's animated,

characteristic gestures were fully discernible, and her little Una's

arch toss of the head marked her out, yet the companion whom she had

beguiled away, and who had become more to Ermine than any other of the

frisking little ones of the flock, was neither with her not with his

chief protector, Rose. In a second or two, however, the step that to

her had most "music in't" of all footfalls that ever were trodden, was

sounding on the path that led circuitously up the path, and the Colonel

appeared with the little runaway holding his hand.

"Why, baby, you are soon come away!"

"I did not like it,--sit on mamma's knee," said the little fellow,

scrambling to his place then as one who felt it his own nest and throne.

"He was very soon frightened," said the Colonel; "it was only that

little witch Una who could have deluded him into such a crowd, and, as

soon as she saw a bigger boy to beguile, she instantly deserted Keith,

so I relieved Rachel of him."

"See Rachel now; Mr. Clare is interrogating her. How she is making them

laugh! I did not think she could ever have so entered into fun."

"Alick must have made it a part of her education. When the Invalid

has time for another essay, Ermine, it should be on the Benefits of

Ridicule."

"Against Clever Womanhood? But then the subject must have Rachel's

perfect good humour."

"And the weapon must be in the most delicately skilful hands," added

the Colonel. "Properly wielded, it saves blunting the superior weapon by

over-frequent use. Here the success is complete."




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