days we fastened on our cuirasses together for the first time, and each
thought himself the devil of a fine fellow--but I rather doubt if we now
know as much of what is really worth having as my boy there--just
twenty-three years old."

"Nonsense!" snapped Captain Grigsby--but there was a tone of regret in his
protest.

"Lucky to have got off without a knife or a bullet through him--dangerous
nations to grapple with," he said.

"Yes--I gather some pretty heavy menace was over their heads, and that is
what made the lady decamp, so we've much to be thankful for," agreed Sir
Charles.

"Had she any children?" the other asked.

"Tompson says no. Rotten fellow the husband, it appears, and no heir to the
throne, or principality, or whatever it is--so when I have had a talk with
Hubert--Henrietta's brother, you know--the one in the Diplomatic Service,
it will be easy to locate her--gathered Paul doesn't know himself."

"Pretty romance, anyway. And what will you do with the boy now, Charles?"

Paul's father puffed quite a long while at his meerschaum before he
answered, and then his voice was gruffer than ever with tenderness
suppressed.

"Give him his head, Grig," he said. "He's true blue underneath, and he'll
come up to the collar in time, old friend--only I shall have to keep his