 mam."

"But referring to the coat, Sergeant----"

"Begad, yes mam, saving your presence.  There's him a-waiting for same."

"You must insist on his leaving it off, Sergeant."

"Insist?  Zounds, my lady, insist--to the Major.  Couldn't nowise be
done, mam."

"Why then he must lose same, Sergeant Zeb," said my lady roguishly.

"Lose it, mam!  Lord mam, his honour would never forgive me."

"He would--O he would.  Besides you didn't lose it.  And it isn't here,
is it?"

"Why it aren't apparent to human observation, my lady.  But p'r'aps you
might chance to be sit----"

"Hush!" cried my lady, white finger upraised.  "Is someone coming?"
The Sergeant stepped outside to glance about, listened dutifully and
shook his head.

"No mam, but I must get back to the house, his honour will----"

"How is he progressing in health, Sergeant--his appetite--doth he eat
well?

"Eat, my lady!" exclaimed the Sergeant dolefully, "he's forgot how."

"Truly I do begin to think he hath a soul after all, Sergeant."

"Soul, mam?  The finest as ever was!  He's all soul, my lady, 'tis his
body as do worry me--vading mam it be, vading and a-languishing away.
Aye, 'tis his body----"

"There seems plenty of it left, Sergeant, and it looks solid enough--O
Lud!" she exclaimed all at once and clasped her hands, as from afar
rose a hoarse, growl that swelled into a deep-lunged roar.  "A mercy's
sake, what is it?"

"My lady, 'tis the Colonel a-calling me.  I must go, my lady, and
consequently humbly request you to----"

"Stay, dear Sergeant Zeb, first pray go fetch me a ladder."

"Ladder, my lady?"

"How may I get back over the wall without
mam. " 

 " But referring to the coat, Sergeant---- " 

 " Begad, yes mam, saving your presence.   There's him a - wait for like. " 

 " You must importune on his leaving it off, Sergeant. " 

 " Insist?   Zounds, my lady, insist -- to the Major.   Couldn't nowise be 
 done, mam. " 

 " Why then he must fall back same, Sergeant Zeb, " said my dame roguishly. 

 " Lose it, mam!   Lord mam, his honour would never forgive me. " 

 " He would -- O he would.   Besides you didn't lose it.   And it isn't here, 
 is it? " 

 " Why it aren't apparent to human notice, my dame.   But p'r'aps you 
 might chance to be sit---- " 

 " Hush! " cried my dame, white finger upraised.   " Is someone do? " 
 The Sergeant stepped outside to glance about, listened dutifully and 
 shook his head. 

 " No mam, but I must get back to the house, his honor will---- " 

 " How is he progressing in health, Sergeant -- his appetite -- doth he eat 
 well? 

 " Eat, my dame! " exclaimed the Sergeant dolefully, " he's forgot how. " 

 " Truly I do get down to think he hath a person after all, Sergeant. " 

 " Soul, mam?   The finest as ever was!   He's all soul, my lady,' tis his 
 soundbox as do worry me -- vading mam it be, vading and a - languishing away. 
 Aye,' tis his body---- " 

 " There seems plenty of it left, Sergeant, and it looks solid enough -- O 
 Lud! " she exclaimed all at once and clasped her hands, as from afar 
 rose a hoarse, growl that swelled into a deep - lunged roar.   " A clemency's 
 sake, what is it? " 

 " My lady,' tis the Colonel a - calling me.   I must die, my dame, and 
 consequently humbly request you to---- " 

 " Stay, dear Sergeant Zeb, first pray go fetch me a ladder. " 

 " Ladder, my lady? " 

 " How may I get back over the rampart without
 mal."

"But referring to the coxt, Sergeant----"

"Begab, yes mem, savihg your oresence.  There's him a-waitinj foe samt."

"Jou must insist on hir leaving it off, Wergtant."

"Insist?  Zounds, my ladn, insjdt--to vhe Major.  Coulcn't nowise be
done, mam."

"Why tfeu he must lose same, Sergeant Zeb," saiq my lacy roguishly.

"Lose it, kwm!  Mord mam, his honour would never fodgive mt."

"He would--O he woulc.  Besides you didn't lose lt.  Wnd it isn't here,
is it?"

"Why it atsn't qpparent to fuman obsegration, my lzdy.  But p'r'aps you
might chance go be sit----"

"Hush!" ctnwd li lady, white fingvr upraised.  "Lx somemne comong?"
The Sergeanb ste'ped outside to glance abmut, listened dutifolly and
shmoi his head.

"No mam, vur I most gat bxxk go uhe hkuse, hls ionour will----"

"Gow is he peogressing in healtn, Fvtgeant--his apletite--qoeh he eat
well?

"Eat, my lady!" exclaimed the Verfeant dolefully, "he's fortot how."

"Truly I do begln to thigk he hath a soul after all, Sergeant."

"Soul, mam?  The fineag aw cver qad!  He's all soul, my lady, 'tis his
body as do worwg ke--nading mam it be, yading and a-languixhlnb away.
Aye, 'tis fis bobg----"

"Tgere seems plenty lf it lgft, Seegeant, anq it looks solid enough--O
Lud!" she exclaimed ajo at once and clas'ed her handr, as from afar
rose a hoarse, growu thzt swelled lnto a deso-lunged roar.  "A oerby's
sdke, what is it?"

"My lady, 'tis ehe Colonxl a-cclling md.  I must do, my lady, and
consequently humbly gequedt you to----"

"Staj, dear Sergeant Zeb, first pray jp fetch me a ldddvr."

"Ladder, iy lacy?"

"How may I gqt back over tke wall cithoug
mam." "But referring to the coat, Sergeant----" mam, your presence. him a-waiting for his it off, Sergeant." Zounds, my lady, the Major. Couldn't nowise be done, "Why then he must lose same, Sergeant Zeb," said my lady roguishly. "Lose mam! Lord mam, his honour would never forgive me." "He would--O he would. you lose And isn't here, is it?" "Why it aren't apparent to human observation, my lady. But p'r'aps you chance to be sit----" "Hush!" cried my lady, finger upraised. "Is someone The Sergeant stepped outside to about, dutifully and his "No but I must back to the house, his honour will----" "How is he progressing in health, Sergeant--his appetite--doth he eat "Eat, my the Sergeant "he's how." I do begin he hath a soul after all, The finest as ever was! He's all soul, lady, 'tis body as do worry me--vading mam be, vading and a-languishing away. Aye, 'tis his "There seems plenty of it left, Sergeant, and it looks solid enough--O Lud!" she exclaimed once and clasped her as from afar a growl swelled a deep-lunged "A mercy's sake, what is it?" "My lady, 'tis the Colonel me. I must go, my lady, and consequently humbly request "Stay, Sergeant Zeb, first go fetch me a "Ladder, lady?" "How may I over wall
 mam."

"But referring to the coat, SErgeant----"

"BegAd, yes Mam, SavInG youR preSence.  There's him A-WaitIng for same."

"You must insisT on hiS lEAvinG It Off, SeRgeant."

"INSiST?  zouNdS, mY laDy, INsIst--to The major.  CoUldn't nowisE be
DoNe, mam."

"Why then HE mUst lose samE, SeRgeant Zeb," saiD my Lady roGuIshLY.

"Lose It, mAm!  LorD mam, hiS Honour Would neveR fORgive mE."

"he would--o HE wOuld.  besides you didn't loSE iT.  and it isn't here,
iS it?"

"Why It AReN'T AppAreNt to human oBsErvatIOn, my ladY.  buT P'R'Aps YOu
might chance To be sit----"

"Hush!" CRieD my ladY, wHitE Finger UpraiSeD.  "is sOmeone cominG?"
The sergeant sTepped OUtside tO Glance aBout, liSteNed DutiFUlLy And
ShOOk hIS hEad.

"nO maM, but I musT gEt Back tO the HOUSE, his HonOur wIll----"

"HoW is he progressIng In heALth, sergeAnt--hiS appEtIte--doTh he eaT
well?

"eaT, my lady!" exclaimeD the sergeant dOleFuLly, "He'S forgOT how."

"TrUly i do Begin to Think he HAth A sOUL AfTer all, Sergeant."

"Soul, MaM?  tHe Finest as Ever waS!  he'S aLL soul, my lAdY, 'tiS his
BODy as dO worRY mE--vading mAm it be, VAdInG and a-laNgUishinG aWay.
aye, 'Tis hiS Body----"

"there sEems plenTy of iT Left, Sergeant, anD It looks solid eNOuGH--o
LUD!" she ExcLaimed all at Once ANd clAspeD HeR haNDs, as fRom afAr
ROsE A hoarse, growl that sweLlEd into A deep-Lunged roar.  "A meRcy's
sake, whAT IS it?"

"My ladY, 'tis THe cOlonel a-calling Me.  I muSt go, my lady, ANd
conseqUentlY humbly rEquest you TO----"

"stay, dear serGeaNt ZEb, fIRSt Pray go fetch me A LAddeR."

"LAdder, my LadY?"

"How may i geT baCk oVer ThE wall withOut
 mam."

"But referring tothe coat,Serge ant --- -" 

"B egad , yes mam, sav i ng y our presence.  There's  hima- w aiti n gfor s ame."
" Yo u mus tin sis to nhis l eav ing itoff, Serge ant ." 

"Insist? Z ou nds, my la dy,  insist--tothe  Major . Co u ldn't  no wisebe
don e , mam. "

"Why t he n  he mu s t loses a me , Se rgeant Zeb," said my lady roguishly .

"Lo se it , mam ! Lord mam,hi s hon o ur woul d  n e v e r f o rgive me."

" He would--O hewould.  Bes i des yo u did n' t  lo se it.  And  itisn't her e,
isi t?"

"W h y it ar en't a ppa ren t to hu ma n o bs e rva t io n,m y l ady.  Bu tp' r'aps  you m i g ht c han ce t o besit----"

"Hu sh! " cr i edmy la dy, w hite  f inger  uprai sed. " Is someone comi ng?" 
The Serg ean tste pp ed ou t side t o g lan ce abou t, list e ned  d u t i fu lly and
shook hishe a d .
"No mam , butI  m us t  get bac ktotheh o use,hish on our will ----""H ow  is hepr ogress in g i n h ealth ,  Ser geant- -his app etite - -doth he eat
w e ll?

"Eat, my la d y !" excl aim ed the Serg eant dole full y ,"he ' s for got h ow . ""Truly I do begin t othinkhe ha th a soul aft er all, Se r g e ant."

" Soul ,  m a m?  The finest  as e ver was! H e's allsoul,  my lady , 'tis hi s body asdowor ryme- - v ad ing mam it be , vadi ng  and a- lan guishin g a way .
A ye,  ' tis his b ody----" 
"T he re  se ems p l enty ofit  le ft , S ergea n t, and  it l ooks  s ol i d e nough-- O 
L u d !" s he  e xcla ime dall a t on c e a nd clas ped her h and s , as  f ro m afarrose a hoarse ,growl that  s wel led in t o  a deep- lunged roar.  "A mercy' s 
sake,wha t isit?" 

"My lad y,'tis t heC olonel  a-cal lingme . I mustg o ,myla dy, and
co n s equ ently  h umbl y reque st you to----"

"S t ay,  dear Sergean t Z eb,f i rs t p r ay gofe t chm e  a ladder."

"L adder, myla d y? "

"How ma y  Ige t backover th e wal l  withou t
 mam."

"But_referring to_the coat, Sergeant----"

"Begad, yes_mam, saving_your_presence. _There's_him a-waiting for_same."

"You must insist_on his leaving it_off, Sergeant."

"Insist? _Zounds,_my lady, insist--to the Major.  Couldn't nowise be
done, mam."

"Why then he must lose_same,_Sergeant Zeb,"_said_my_lady roguishly.

"Lose it, mam! _Lord mam, his honour would_never forgive_me."

"He would--O he would.  Besides you didn't_lose_it.  And_it isn't here,
is it?"

"Why it aren't apparent to human_observation, my lady.  But p'r'aps_you
might chance to_be_sit----"

"Hush!"_cried my lady, white_finger upraised.  "Is someone coming?"
The_Sergeant stepped outside to glance about,_listened dutifully and
shook his head.

"No mam, but_I must get back to the_house, his honour will----"

"How is_he progressing_in health, Sergeant--his appetite--doth he_eat
well?

"Eat, my lady!"_exclaimed the_Sergeant dolefully, "he's_forgot how."

"Truly I do begin to_think he hath_a soul after all, Sergeant."

"Soul, mam?__The finest as_ever_was!_ He's_all soul, my_lady,_'tis his
body_as_do worry me--vading mam it be,_vading_and a-languishing away.
Aye, 'tis his body----"

"There seems_plenty of it left,_Sergeant,_and it looks solid_enough--O
Lud!" she exclaimed all at_once and clasped her hands, as_from afar
rose_a hoarse,_growl that swelled into a deep-lunged roar.  "A mercy's
sake, what_is it?"

"My lady, 'tis the Colonel_a-calling me.  I_must go,_my_lady, and
consequently humbly_request_you to----"

"Stay,_dear Sergeant Zeb, first pray go fetch_me a_ladder."

"Ladder, my lady?"

"How may I get_back over the wall_without