family meal. But it was his favorite axiom that a sergeant might not be
looked down upon "like as if he was a common Tom, Dick, or Harry in the
ranks"; so that his hospitality was to be expected in the present
instance. Had either anxious parent had the slightest fear of the
attractive sergeant's pleasing qualities proving too strong for Penny's
"proper pride," their welcome would have been less genuine; but they were
altogether without suspicion. Yet, as to Penny herself, it must have
been evident from the first that the dark eyes often strayed in her
direction, and that with unmistakable interest, even on so short an
acquaintance.

After that first visit the handsome young sergeant became a frequent
partaker of the hospitality of the "British Lion." He never omitted to
accompany the Pikes, and not seldom walked over on a summer's evening to
smoke a pipe with Stephen and feast his eyes surreptitiously upon
Stephen's attractive daughter. He proved, on acquaintance, to be an
intelligent, well-spoken young fellow, evidently superior to most of his
class; this was owing to the fact that he was a farmer's son, left,
through a combination of circumstances, orphaned and almost destitute,
who had found in the army a welcome means of livelihood.

It was not long before Spence was on as familiar a footing at the
"British Lion" as his fellow-sergeant. It was strange that both Stephen
Dale and his wife were altogether blind to the real reason for his
frequent visits. Penny, on the other hand, had early discerned the state
of the young man's feelings toward her; but instinctively she guarded her
secret from all. Even when Spence had spoken, and had learned her strong
affection for him, she insisted that all knowledge of their mutual
understanding should be kept from her parents until she could gauge their
feelings in the matter. She was not without uneasiness; for it seemed