VC -- A Chronicle of Castle Barfield and of the Crimea

his boyhood, for his father had been a horsebreaker, and when he had run away from home and enlisted, he had satisfied ambition by becoming a driver of artillery. Then he had been wou

e a fixed part of the scheme of nature. He had one defect which at this instant made him invalua

of rare discretion, and, though it must have been like an upheaval of the world to him to see the most constant of visitors at the General's modest little mansion, wa

e side of the car

to you,' he said wistfully. 'I ho

ago she had already taught herself to face it. Her father was a man conspicuously brave among the brave, and he had told her of his very first experience of war-a period of prolonged inaction under fire. 'A trying thing at fir

go through a certain amount of drill, but that will soon be

of what you hav

zing across the square. 'I had not hoped to see you again for years, if ever, and there is just one thing I wanted very muc

n,' she said composedly

. He obeyed her, and stood, still looking across the square

me, Polson,' Irene said.

ide your first pony. We've always been the very best of friends, and only last ni

lainly. Let us unde

art. For old time's sake I should be very sorry to believe that you'd ever forgot me altogether, but if you'll try to bring yourself to think of me as trying to be cheerful in a humble station, as remembering you always in my heart of hearts, and never forgetting the distance that divides us-if you'll try to think of me as always honouring myself because I was once your friend'-H

ou see, I know you, Irene. You'll grizzle if you think I'm grizzling.

hat is

ar. That

s happened I should have said "Yes," and I should have been proud and happy. But, Polson, this is why I thank God for having brought us tog

I shall remember every word you have spoken. I sha

ilence, they spoke of things which were indifferent by comparison. They discussed the probable hour of the arrival

side with Colonel Stacey. Irene was facing th

, dear,' she said

d softly. 'Good-by

and to him, and he took it in his own. She looked bravely into his

fellow of whom I have been speaking. Polson, this is your commanding of

, turning his red face and t

h? I hear an excellent account of you. Try to d

urned to go, the General seized hi

e best of good luck go with you. If you hear of me out yond

e daughter of the same was a personage, and it was out of the common for a newly-joined recruity to engage in intimate talk with the like of them for half an hour togethe

cruity, and the lady stood up to wave her hand, and the recruity, unconscious of the interest he excited, waved the s

warmth stole into the cold. When everything was said and done, there was one thing left. Irene loved him. Loved him! How sweet and sacred a wonder. Yet her own dear lips had told him that she would have been proud and happy to be his wife, and that nothing should change her. And she had given him an ambition. The lofty and inspiring words were not yet written, but their purport thrilled him, as it thrilled many

o the hi

lost for a little

e that was full of

ul, monstrous,

e to the banner o

shall darken, an

crush'd in the clas

th shall be wreak'

ness into the l

sudden making o

ught be freer

f a people beat

t I deem'd no peac

de of the Black a

ning mouths of th

ossom of war wit

valiant men who were ready to lay down their lives i

not accustomed to hear himself addressed in this manner, and his earliest impulse was to hit the pug nose of the person who accosted him, but he remembered himself in time, and bethinking him of the wise man's saying, that a soft answer turneth away wrath, he asked meekly where he should go. Then the Sergeant, who w

face his conductor, 'that's a filthy bad ha

and said that any conventional recruit had conventi

s quite impossible to respect a man

over, the dinner hour had arrived. He was told off to a mess in a long barrack-room, in which his brother recruits were quartered, under the charge of an old soldier. Some of these new comrades were fresh f

s. Our recruit had neither the one nor the other, but he remembered his promise to Irene. He had undertaken to meet his fate cheerfully, and the fare was part of his fate. He would have no re-pinings. The food was honest and wholesome, and he would probably learn to be eager for worse before the war was over. So he, as it were, squared his shoulders at his

us jaw and blazing eyes half-way across the table. 'Speak like that again in my

s is 'listed for de war, and dere's not wan of 'em knows he mayn't be stiff on de field in tree or four monts' time. An' be way of makin' re

and so sat down and trie

hool that afternoon dressed as they might happen to be. The accustomed old drill-horses, saddled and bridled, were ranged on the tan at the wall, with stirrups crossed over the shoulders, and when the

us, seemin'ly,' said the

horse before

two,' sa

said the red

you're good for.

hree feet high. It was a leap for a child, and Polson went over it, turned and came

leg,' he said. 'Keep that and don'

venerable she-trooper skipped; but this was hardly a thing to scare the best cross-country man of his shire, and P

olonel's orders are to get 'em through as fast as

ay. 'You can dismount,

exercise, and the instructor's voice was bawling: 'Thrust, re

olnay. 'How do

gh, I dare say. I haven't

id Volnay, indicating the squad with a motio

ee, it's been the dream of my life to

ld sort. No finer soldier in the army. Regiment adores him. And he has an eye for

y,' said

to be professional, you understand. No end of a devil of a

'I'm at work. No

s saying there'll be no fighting. That's rubbis

ilence until they

heir backs and tucked their chins in and assumed that ramrod posture which the authorise

he can ride and has dismissed him from the riding school. He tells me that he's

Polson, being provided with a belt and sabre, was stuck up

Prep-air! Prove di

command, right through. Sword exercise. Prep-air! Prove distance-go! Shun! Pursuin' practic

eant to join, and I thought I'

u've been through the mill before, you have. Yo

ht never to laugh again, but

uting in officer's fashion-the only way he had be

e man for years. Always keen on the service

ood shot, I gather

in musketry?' '

the riding school at four o'clock this af

s,

sult of his cogitation was rapid and conclusive. The young man who knew the minutiae of his trade of soldier, and had an officer's trick of salute,

lnay. 'We might utilise this man as a drill, sir, if you'll permit me to suggest su

lnay. 'I'll see the

hey had fitted on a uniform, and his ringing 'Carry-so!' or 'Ground-oh!'

e second day. 'You've got the powers that be behind you, and you'll be one of us in a m