What has the
poor boy done?"
"He has deserted--a thing I have seen a fellow shot for, and he has left
me a prey to parental anxieties."
"And so he has me, for that matter. But I forgive him. Anyway, I should
like to hear his story before I condemn him. Why, he's only nineteen and
four months, come Martinmas. Besides, how do we know?--he may have had
some very good reason for going."
"His age makes that probable, doesn't it?"
"I dare say it was after some girl, sir."
"Call that a good reason?"
"I call it a strong one. Haven't you never found it?" (the Colonel was
betrayed into winking). "From sixteen to sixty a woman will draw a man
where a horse can't."
"Since that is _so_," said the Colonel, dryly, "you can tell him to come
to breakfast."
"Am I to say that from you?"
"No; you can take that much upon yourself. I have known you presume a
good deal more than that, John."
"Well, sir," said John, hanging his head for a moment, "old servants are
like old friends--they do presume a bit; but then" (raising his head
proudly) "they care for their masters, young and old.
Pages:
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75