The fact is, to tell a little bit of a secret, there is nothing like the
having two strings to your bow. "Who knows?" thought I. "Mary may die;
and then where are my 10,000L.?" So I used to be very kind indeed to
Miss Crutty; and well it was that I was so: for when I was twenty and
Mary eighteen, I'm blest if news did not arrive that Captain Waters,
who was coming home to England with all his money in rupees, had been
taken--ship, rupees, self and all--by a French privateer; and Mary,
instead of 10,000L. had only 5,000L., making a difference of no less
than 350L. per annum betwixt her and Miss Crutty.

I had just joined my regiment (the famous North Bungay Fencibles,
Colonel Craw commanding) when this news reached me; and you may fancy
how a young man, in an expensive regiment and mess, having uniforms and
what not to pay for, and a figure to cut in the world, felt at hearing
such news! "My dearest Robert," wrote Miss Waters, "will deplore my
dear brother's loss: but not, I am sure, the money which that kind and
generous soul had promised me. I have still five thousand pounds, and
with this and your own little fortune (I had 1,000L. in the Five per
Cents!) we shall be as happy and contented as possible."

Happy and contented indeed! Didn't I know how my father got on with his
300L. a year, and how it was all he could do out of it to add a hundred
a year to my narrow income, and live himself! My mind was made up. I
instantly mounted the coach and flew to our village,--to Mr. Crutty's,
of course. It was next door to Doctor Bates's; but I had no business
THERE.

I found Magdalen in the garden. "Heavens, Mr. Stubbs!" said she, as
in my new uniform I appeared before her, "I really did never--such
a handsome officer--expect to see you." And she made as if she would