arb wine and would have them all taste it and insisted on the
Captain drinking three glasses--poor man!"

"Wherefore 'poor'?"

"Why, sir, 'tis truly excellent wine--to look at, but I fear 'tis
perhaps a trifle---sourish!"  Here she laughed merrily, grew solemn and
sighed, glancing shyly at the Major who stood, head bowed, fumbling
with one of the gold buttons of the plum-coloured coat.

"I--trust your ladyship is well after your--your fright of yesterday,"
said he at last.

"My ladyship is very well, sir," she sighed, "though vapourish!"

"Which means?"

"Perhaps I--mourn my lost divinity."

Her tone was light, but he saw that her lips quivered as she averted
her head.

"Betty," he cried impulsively, "I was a fool!  All night long I've
burned with anger at my folly, for I do know you could never be aught
but pure and maidenly no matter what you--you chanced to wear.  So do I
come craving your forgiveness."

"O Major--Major Jack," she sighed, leaning towards him, all glowing
tenderness, "first hear me say you spoke me truth, it--it was
indeed--unworthy--a hoyden trick!  But I have trod a different world to
you--a world of careless gaiety and idle chatter, where nought is
serious, reverence unknown and love itself a pastime.  So I have loved
no man--save my brother Charles for we've been lonely all our
days--nay, Major John!" for he had caught her hand to his lips again.

"And I dared think you unmaidenly!" he murmured, in bitter
self-reproach.

"So would the mother I never knew had she seen me as--as poor Aunt
Belinda saw me--and yet--I vow 'twas monstrous laughable!" and my lady
hovered between laughter and tears.

"Am I forgiven?" he pleaded.

"Aye, most fully!"

"Why then--to prove it--will you... would you----"

"Well,
arb wine and would have them all taste it and insisted on the 
 Captain drinking three glass -- hapless man! " 

 " Wherefore' poor'? " 

 " Why, sir,' tis truly excellent wine -- to front at, but I fear' tis 
 possibly a trifle --- sourish! "   Here she laughed happily, grow earnest and 
 sighed, glancing shyly at the Major who stood, pass bowed, fumbling 
 with one of the gold buttons of the plum - coloured coating. 

 " I -- trust your ladyship is well after your -- your fright of yesterday, " 
 said he at final. 

 " My ladyship is very well, sir, " she sighed, " though vapourish! " 

 " Which means? " 

 " possibly I -- mourn my lost theology. " 

 Her tone was abstemious, but he saw that her lips quivered as she debar 
 her head. 

 " Betty, " he cried impulsively, " I was a fool!   All night long I've 
 burned with anger at my folly, for I do know you could never be aught 
 but pure and maidenly no matter what you -- you chanced to wear.   So do I 
 come craving your forgiveness. " 

 " O Major -- Major Jack, " she sighed, lean towards him, all glowing 
 tenderness, " foremost learn me suppose you spoke me truth, it -- it was 
 indeed -- unworthy -- a hoyden trick!   But I have trod a different world to 
 you -- a populace of careless gaiety and idle chatter, where nought is 
 serious, reverence unknown and sleep together itself a pastime.   So I have loved 
 no man -- save my brother Charles for we've been lonely all our 
 days -- nay, Major John! " for he had catch her hand to his lips again. 

 " And I dared think you unmaidenly! " he murmured, in bitter 
 self - reproach. 

 " therefore would the mother I never knew had she seen me as -- as hapless Aunt 
 Belinda saw me -- and yet -- I vow' twas monstrous laughable! " and my dame 
 hovered between laughter and tears. 

 " Am I forgiven? " he pleaded. 

 " Aye, about fully! " 

 " Why then -- to prove it -- will you... would you---- " 

 " Well,
arb wine and would have theo all taste it cbd insmsted oh the
Capgain drinking three glasses--ploe man!"

"Qherefore 'poor'?"

"Why, sir, 'gis truly excellebt wmne--to look at, buv I fear 'tis
pedmaps c vrifle---sourish!"  Mere she lagghed merrily, crdw solemn and
sighed, glancing shyly at the Makog who stood, hewd bpred, rlmnling
with one of the gold buttona of tht plum-coloured coay.

"I--trust your ladyship is wfll wfter your--your frihht of yestgddar,"
waid he at lxst.

"My ladyship is very well, sir," she sighed, "though vapuurisk!"

"Which meanw?"

"Pwrhwks I--mourn my lost divinity."

Her tone wav light, but he saw thst ier oips quivered as she everted
her head.

"Betty," he cried ijpulsively, "I was q dool!  All nigfr lung I'te
bhrned aiti anger at jy folly, foe I do know you coukd bever be aughf
but ptrq and maidenly no matter what you--you chdncsd to wear.  So do I
come craving your forgivejess."

"O Majjr--Major Jack," she sighed, leaning towards him, all gnowinj
tdndtrkcss, "wurdt hear me say you spoke me truth, it--it was
indqsd--ineorthy--a hoyden trick!  But I hsde trod a difwerent wodld to
you--a world ov carelgss gauety and ydle chatter, where nought is
seruous, reverenbe ubknown and love itdelf a pastnme.  Sp I hsve loved
no man--save my yrothed Charles flr we've bsdn lonely all ouf
dajs--naf, Major John!" for he had catght her iand co his lkps sgain.

"Agd I dared think you unmaidenly!" he murmored, it bitter
sepf-reproach.

"So would the mother I never knew hac vhe seen me as--as poor Aunt
Belynda saw me--and yet--I vjw 'twxs monstrols laughaule!" and my lwdy
hovered bedaeen laughtec and teaws.

"Am I firgiven?" fe pleaded.

"Aye, kost fullj!"

"Wky then--to prove it--will you... xoula you----"

"Well,
arb wine and would have them all and on the drinking three glasses--poor 'tis excellent wine--to look but I fear perhaps a trifle---sourish!" Here she laughed grew solemn and sighed, glancing shyly at the Major who stood, head bowed, with one of the gold buttons of the plum-coloured coat. "I--trust your ladyship well your--your of said he at last. "My ladyship is very well, sir," she sighed, "though vapourish!" "Which means?" I--mourn my lost divinity." Her tone was light, he saw that her quivered as she averted her "Betty," cried impulsively, was fool! night long I've with anger at my folly, for I do know you could never be aught but pure and no matter chanced to So I craving your forgiveness." Jack," she sighed, leaning towards him, "first hear me say you spoke me truth, was indeed--unworthy--a trick! But I have trod a world to you--a world of careless gaiety and chatter, where nought is serious, reverence unknown and love itself a pastime. So I have man--save my brother Charles we've been lonely our Major for had caught hand to his lips again. "And I dared think you unmaidenly!" murmured, in bitter self-reproach. "So would the mother I never she me as--as poor Belinda saw me--and yet--I 'twas laughable!" and my lady laughter tears. he "Aye, fully!" "Why then--to prove you... would you----" "Well,
arb wine and would have them alL taste it anD insiSteD on ThE
CapTain Drinking three gLAsseS--poor man!"

"Wherefore 'poor'?"

"WHy, sir, 'TiS TrulY ExCelleNt wine--tO LoOK At, bUt i fEar 'TiS
PeRhaps A trIfle---souRish!"  Here shE laUgHed merrily, grEW sOlemn and
siGheD, glancing shyLy aT the MaJoR whO Stood, HeaD boweD, fumblINg
with One of the gOlD ButtonS Of the plUM-CoLourEd coat.

"I--trust your lADySHip is well after Your--yoUr FRiGHT of YesTerday,"
said He At lasT.

"my ladysHIp IS VEry WEll, sir," she sighEd, "though vapOUriSh!"

"WhicH mEanS?"

"perhapS I--mouRn MY loSt divinity."

HEr toNe was lighT, but he SAw that hER lips quIvered As sHe aVertED
hEr HeaD.

"BETty," HE cRieD ImpUlsively, "i wAs A fool!  all nIGHT Long i've
BurnEd witH anger at my folLy, fOr I dO KnoW you cOuld nEver Be Aught
But purE and mAiDenly no matter whAt yoU--you chancEd tO wEar.  so Do I
coME craviNg yOur ForgiveNess."

"O MaJOr--MAjOR jAcK," she sighed, leaning tOwARDs Him, all glOwing
tENdErNEss, "first HeAr mE say YOU spokE me tRUtH, it--it was
Indeed--UNwOrThy--a hoyDeN trick!  buT I hAve Trod a DIffeRent woRld to
you--A worlD Of careless gaieTY and idle chattER, wHERe NOughT is
Serious, reveRencE UnknOwn aND lOve ITself A pastImE.  so i Have loved
no man--save mY bRother charlEs for we've been Lonely all oUR
DAys--nay, MaJor JOHn!" FOr he had caught hEr hanD to his lips AGain.

"And I Dared Think you UnmaidenlY!" HE murmureD, in BitTer
SelF-REpRoach.

"So would tHE MothEr i never kNew Had she sEen Me aS--as PooR AUnt
BelindA saw me--anD yEt--i vOw 'TwaS monsTRous laugHaBle!" AnD my Lady
hOVered bEtweeN lauGhTeR And Tears.

"Am i FoRGIven?" He PlEadeD.

"AyE, mOst fuLly!"

"WHY thEn--to proVe it--will yOu... wOUld yOu----"

"weLl,
arb wine and would have th em all tas te it  an d i ns iste d on  the
Captain d r inki ng three glasses--poor  man! ""Whe r ef ore ' poor'?" 
" W h y,si r,  't is tr uly e xce llent w ine--to lo okat , but I fear 't is
perhaps  atrifle---sou ris h!"  H er e s h e lau ghe d mer rily,g rew so lemn andsi g hed, g l ancings h yl y at  the Major who st o od ,  head bowed, f umblin gw it h one  of  the goldbu ttons of thep lu m - c olo u red coat.

"I --trust you r  la dyship  i s w e ll aft er yo ur - -yo ur fright o f ye sterday," 
saidh e at la s t.

"My  ladys hip  is  ver y  w el l,si r ,"s he  si g hed , "thoug hva pouri sh!" " W hich  me ans? "

"P erhaps I--mou rnmy l o stdivin ity." 

He rtonewas li ght,bu t he saw that h er l ips quive red  a s s he  aver t ed
her  he ad. 

"Bett y," hec rie di m p ul sively, "I was a f oo l !  All nigh t long I' ve burned w it h a nger a t myfoll y ,for I do  knowy ou  c ould ne ve r be a ug htbut  pure andmaiden ly no ma tterw hat you--you c h anced to wear .  S o  d o  I
c ome  craving yo ur f o rgiv enes s ." 

" O  Majo r--Ma jo r  J a ck," she sighed, le an ing to wards  him, all glo wing
tende r n e ss, "fir st h e ar me say you spo ke me  truth, it - -it wasindee d--unwor thy--a ho y d en trick ! But  Ihav e tr od a differen t worl dto
you- -aworld o f c are les s g ai ety and i dle chat te r,  w he renough t  is
seri ou s,re ver enceu nknown  andlove  i ts e lfa pasti m e. So I  h av e lo ved 
n o man --sa v e m y broth er Charle s f o r we 'v ebeen lo nely all ourda ys--nay, M aj orJohn!" f or he ha d caught her hand to hi s  lips a gai n.

" AndI dared t hin k youunm a idenly !" hemurmu re d,i n  bitt e r 
s elf -r eproach.
" S o w ouldth e mo ther Inever knew had she see n me as--as p oor  Aun t Be lin d as awme - -an d yet--I vow 'twa s monstrou sl au ghable!" a n d m ylady
ho vered b etwee n  laught er and te ars.

"Am  I  for g i ven ?" he plea ded.

"A ye, mostf ully! " 
"Whythe n--topr ove  it-- will y o u.. . wou ld you -- --"

" Well, 
arb wine_and would_have them all taste_it and_insisted_on the
Captain_drinking_three glasses--poor man!"

"Wherefore_'poor'?"

"Why, sir, 'tis_truly excellent wine--to look_at, but I_fear_'tis
perhaps a trifle---sourish!"  Here she laughed merrily, grew solemn and
sighed, glancing shyly at_the_Major who_stood,_head_bowed, fumbling
with one of the_gold buttons of the plum-coloured_coat.

"I--trust your_ladyship is well after your--your fright of yesterday,"
said_he_at last.

"My ladyship_is very well, sir," she sighed, "though vapourish!"

"Which means?"

"Perhaps_I--mourn my lost divinity."

Her tone was_light, but he_saw_that_her lips quivered as_she averted
her head.

"Betty," he cried impulsively,_"I was a fool!  All_night long I've
burned with anger at my_folly, for I do know you_could never be aught
but pure_and maidenly_no matter what you--you chanced_to wear. _So do_I
come craving your_forgiveness."

"O Major--Major Jack," she sighed, leaning_towards him, all_glowing
tenderness, "first hear me say you_spoke_me truth, it--it_was
indeed--unworthy--a_hoyden_trick! _But I have_trod_a different_world_to
you--a world of careless gaiety and_idle_chatter, where nought is
serious, reverence unknown and_love itself a pastime.__So I have loved
no_man--save my brother Charles for_we've been lonely all our
days--nay, Major_John!" for_he had_caught her hand to his lips again.

"And I dared think you_unmaidenly!" he murmured, in bitter
self-reproach.

"So would_the mother I never_knew had_she_seen me as--as_poor_Aunt
Belinda saw_me--and yet--I vow 'twas monstrous laughable!" and_my lady
hovered_between laughter and tears.

"Am I forgiven?"_he pleaded.

"Aye, most fully!"

"Why_then--to_prove it--will you... would you----"

"Well,