in by the choice young spirits who inhabited the lichened, red-brick
building at the top of the town bearing 'W.D.' and a broad arrow on its
quoins. Far more serious escapades--levities relating to love, wine,
cards, betting--were talked of, with no doubt more or less of
exaggeration. That the Hussars, Captain Maumbry included, were the cause
of bitter tears to several young women of the town and country is
unquestionably true, despite the fact that the gaieties of the young men
wore a more staring colour in this old-fashioned place than they would
have done in a large and modern city.



CHAPTER II


Regularly once a week they rode out in marching order.

Returning up the town on one of these occasions, the romantic pelisse
flapping behind each horseman's shoulder in the soft south-west wind,
Captain Maumbry glanced up at the oriel. A mutual nod was exchanged
between him and the person who sat there reading. The reader and a
friend in the room with him followed the troop with their eyes all the
way up the street, till, when the soldiers were opposite the house in
which Laura lived, that young lady became discernible in the balcony.

'They are engaged to be married, I hear,' said the friend.

'Who--Maumbry and Laura? Never--so soon?'

'Yes.'