Jenny elevated her black brows and threw up her arched nose like a
charger. "I'm not afraid of old women and children," she said loftily.

"But I am," said the colonel gravely. "It's a horrible thing to think
of, but these feeble old women and innocent children are always selected
to torture the prisoners taken by the braves, and, by Jove, they seem to
like it."

Thus restricted, Mrs. Lascelles fell back upon the attentions of
Lieutenant Forsyth, whose gallantry was always as fresh as his smart
cadet-like tunics, and they took some rides together. Whether it was
military caution or the feminine discretion of the colonel's wife,--to
the quiet amusement of the other officers,--a trooper was added to the
riding party by the order of the colonel, and thereafter it consisted
of three. One night, however, the riders did not appear at dinner, and
there was considerable uneasiness mingled with some gossip throughout
the garrison. It was already midnight before they arrived, and then with
horses blown and trembling with exhaustion, and the whole party bearing
every sign of fatigue and disturbance. The colonel said a few sharp,
decisive words to the subaltern, who, pale and reticent, plucked at his
little moustache, but took the whole blame upon himself. HE and Mrs.
Lascelles had, he said, outridden the trooper and got lost; it was late
when Cassidy (the trooper) found them, but it was no fault of HIS, and
they had to ride at the top of their speed to cover the ground between
them and the fort. It was noticed that Mrs. Lascelles scarcely spoke to
Forsyth, and turned abruptly away from the colonel's interrogations and
went to her room.

Peter, absorbed in his report, scarcely noticed the incident, nor
the singular restraint that seemed to fall upon the little military