"Isupposealloldsoldiersarethesame," saidMrsWhite."Theideaofourlisteningtosuchnonsense!Howcouldwishesbegrantedinthesedays?Andiftheycould, howcouldtwohundredpoundshurtyou, father?"
"Mightdroponhisheadfromthesky," saidthefrivolousHerbert.
"Morrissaidthethingshappenedsonaturally," saidhisfather,"thatyoumightifyousowishedattributeittocoincidence."
"Well, don'tbreakintothemoneybeforeIcomeback," saidHerbert, asherosefromthetable."I'mafraidit'llturnyouintoamean, avariciousman, andweshallhavetodisownyou."
Hismotherlaughed, andfollowinghimtothedoor, watchedhimdowntheroad, andreturningtothebreakfasttable, wasveryhappyattheexpenseofherhusband''sknock, norpreventherfromreferringsomewhatshortlytoretiredsergeant-majorsofbibuloushabitswhenshefoundthatthepostbroughtatailor'sbill.
"Herbertwillhavesomemoreofhisfunnyremarks, Iexpect, whenhecomeshome," shesaid, astheysatatdinner.
"Idaresay," , pouringhimselfoutsomebeer;"butforallthat, thethingmovedinmyhand;thatI'llswearto."
"Youthoughtitdid," saidtheoldladysoothingly.
"Isayitdid," repliedtheother."Therewasnothoughtaboutit;Ihadjust—What'sthematter?"
, who, peeringinanundecidedfashionatthehouse, , , , , andhurriedlyunfasteningthestringsofherapron, putthatusefularticleofapparelbeneaththecushionofherchair.
Shebroughtthestranger, whoseemedillatease, , andlistenedinapreoccupiedfashionastheoldladyapologizedfortheappearanceoftheroom, andherhusband'scoat, , forhimtobroachhisbusiness, buthewasatfirststrangelysilent.
