entered.

"Joy, my dear fellow, wish me joy! I am going to town,--into the army;
abroad; to be shot at, thank Heaven! That dear old gentleman! Just
throw me that coat, will you?"

A very few more words sufficed to explain what had passed to Mainwaring.
He sighed when his friend had finished: "I wish I were going with you!"

"Do you? Sir Miles has only got to write another letter to the Horse
Guards. But no, you are meant to be something better than food for
powder; and, besides, your Lucretia! Hang it, I am sorry I cannot stay
to examine her as I had promised; but I have seen enough to know that she
certainly loves you. Ah, when she changed flowers with you, you did not
think I saw you,--sly, was not I? Pshaw! She was only playing with
Vernon. But still, do you know, Will, now that Sir Miles has spoken to
me so, that I could have sobbed, 'God bless you, my old boy!' 'pon my
life, I could! Now, do you know that I feel enraged with you for
abetting that girl to deceive him?"

"I am enraged with myself; and--"

Here a servant entered, and informed Mainwaring that he had been
searching for him; Sir Miles requested to see him in his room.
Mainwaring started like a culprit.

"Never fear," whispered Ardworth; "he has no suspicion of you, I'm sure.
Shake hands. When shall we meet again? Is it not odd, I, who am a
republican by theory, taking King George's pay to fight against the
French? No use stopping now to moralize on such contradictions. John,