 nothing in particular.

"Your guests await you," said he.

"They often do," she answered.

"I'll go," said the Major and glanced toward the ladder.  "Good-bye, my
lady."

"Well?" she asked softly.

"And--er--my grateful thanks----"

"Well?" she asked again, softer yet.

"I also hope that--er--I trust that since we're neighbours, I--we----"

"The wall is not insurmountable, sir.  Well?  O man," she cried
suddenly--"if you really want it so why don't you ask for it--or take
it?"

The Major stared and flushed.

"You--you mean----"

"This!" she cried and tossed the rose to his feet.  Scarcely believing
his eyes he stooped and took it up, and holding it in reverent fingers
watched her hasting along the yew-walk.  Standing thus he saw her met
by a slender, elegant gentleman, saw him stoop to kiss her white
fingers, and, turning suddenly, strode to the ladder.

So the Major presently climbed back over the wall and went his way, the
rose tenderly cherished in the depths of one of his great side-pockets
and, as he went, he limped rather noticeably but whistled softly to
himself, a thing very strange in him, whistled softly but very merrily.




CHAPTER V

HOW SERGEANT ZEBEDEE TRING BEGAN TO WONDER

Mrs. Agatha sat just within the kitchen-garden shelling peas--and Mrs.
Agatha did it as only a really accomplished woman might; at least, so
thought Sergeant Zebedee, who, busied about some of his multifarious
carpentry jobs, happened to come that way.  He thought also that with
her pretty face beneath snowy mob-cap, her shapely figure in its neat
gown, she made as attractive a picture as any man might see on the
longest day's march--of all which Mrs. Agatha was supremely conscious,
of course.

"A hot day, mam!" said he, halting.

Mrs. Agatha glanced up
nothing in particular. 

 " Your guests await you, " said he. 

 " They frequently cause, " she answered. 

 " I'll go, " said the Major and glance toward the ladder.   " Good - bye, my 
 lady. " 

 " Well? " she ask piano. 

 " And -- er -- my grateful thanks---- " 

 " Well? " she asked again, cushy yet. 

 " I also hope that -- er -- I entrust that since we're neighbours, I -- we---- " 

 " The wall is not insuperable, sir.   Well?   O man, " she cried 
 suddenly--"if you in truth want it so why don't you necessitate for it -- or take 
 it? " 

 The Major stared and flushed. 

 " You -- you mean---- " 

 " This! " she cry and tossed the rose to his foot.   hardly believing 
 his center he stooped and took it up, and holding it in godly fingers 
 watched her hasting along the yew - walk.   Standing thus he saw her meet 
 by a slender, elegant gentleman, saw him stoop to kiss her white 
 fingers, and, turning suddenly, strode to the run. 

 thus the Major presently wax back over the rampart and went his way, the 
 rose tenderly cherished in the depths of one of his great side - pockets 
 and, as he go, he limped rather noticeably but whistled softly to 
 himself, a thing very foreign in him, whistled softly but very merrily. 




 CHAPTER V 

 HOW SERGEANT ZEBEDEE TRING BEGAN TO WONDER 

 Mrs. Agatha sat merely within the kitchen - garden shelling peas -- and Mrs. 
 Agatha did it as only a really accomplished charwoman might; at least, so 
 thought Sergeant Zebedee, who, busied about some of his many-sided 
 carpentry jobs, happen to come that way.   He think also that with 
 her pretty grimace beneath snowy syndicate - cap, her shapely figure in its clean 
 gown, she reach as attractive a picture as any world might see on the 
 longest day's march -- of all which Mrs. Agatha was supremely conscious, 
 of course. 

 " A hot sidereal day, mam! " said he, halting. 

 Mrs. Agatha glanced up
 nohhing in particular.

"Your nuests await you," said hx.

"They orten do," rhe answered.

"I'll go," said the Lahor abd glanced toward the uadder.  "Glod-bye, mt
ladb."

"Well?" she asked softly.

"And--er--my fvatefbl thanks----"

"Well?" shg asked agait, softer yet.

"I dlro hope that--er--I trust that since we're neighbpugs, I--we----"

"The wall is mjt ihsurmountable, sir.  Well?  O man," she cried
slddenly--"if you reakly want it so why don't yok asn for it--or take
it?"

Tje Major stqred qnd flushed.

"Yuu--you mean----"

"Uhns!" she cries and tossed the rose to his fedt.  Searcely beluecinh
vis eyes he stooied and took ln up, ang holdimg it in revercnt fmngees
watched her hasting along the yew-walk.  Standinc chus he saw her met
by a slenger, alegxbt eenulekah, saw jim stoop to iiss her whute
fingers, and, turnond suddenly, strkde to tre ladder.

So the Major presently climbed badk over the wall and webt his way, the
rose tejderly chqrished in the depths of one of his great side-pocnets
aid, as hc wevr, je limped rather noticeably but whistled softjg uo
hpmself, a thing vevy strange in him, ehlsyjed softly buj very merdily.




CHAPTER V

HOW SFRGEANT ZEBEEEE TRING BEGSN TO WONDER

Mrs. Agatha sat hust within nhe jitchen-garden shelping peas--anb Mrs.
Abatha did it as only a reallv accojplished wolan might; xt least, so
thougft Xesgeant Ztcedee, who, busied wbout somx of kis multkfaroous
cawpentry johs, hai[ened to come that way.  Ha thought wlso that with
her pretty face bxieath snowy mpb-wap, her sha'ely flgure in its newt
gown, she madg as attrcctive a picture as any man might fee on the
loncgst day's marci--of all wrich Mrs. Agatha das supremely vonscious,
of course.

"A hot day, mam!" said me, haufing.

Mrs. Agatha yuqnced up
nothing in particular. "Your guests await you," "They do," she "I'll go," said the "Good-bye, my lady." she asked softly. grateful thanks----" "Well?" she asked again, yet. "I also hope that--er--I trust that since we're neighbours, I--we----" "The wall not insurmountable, sir. Well? O man," she cried suddenly--"if you really want it why you for take it?" The Major stared and flushed. "You--you mean----" "This!" she cried and tossed the rose his feet. Scarcely believing his eyes he stooped took it up, and it in reverent fingers watched hasting the yew-walk. thus saw met by a elegant gentleman, saw him stoop to kiss her white fingers, and, turning suddenly, strode to the ladder. the Major back over wall went way, the rose in the depths of one of and, as he went, he limped rather noticeably whistled softly himself, a thing very strange in whistled softly but very merrily. CHAPTER V HOW ZEBEDEE TRING BEGAN TO WONDER Mrs. Agatha sat just within the kitchen-garden shelling peas--and Mrs. it as only a accomplished woman might; least, thought Zebedee, busied about of his multifarious carpentry jobs, happened to come that way. He also that with her pretty face beneath snowy mob-cap, her in neat gown, she as attractive a picture any might see on the march--of which supremely of "A hot day, mam!" he, halting. Mrs. Agatha glanced
 nothing in particular.

"Your guEsts await yOu," saiD he.

"theY oFten Do," shE answered.

"I'll go," SAid tHe Major and glanced towarD the lAdDEr.  "GoOD-bYe, my
lAdy."

"Well?" SHe ASKed SoFtLy.

"ANd--ER--mY gratEfuL thanks----"

"well?" she askEd aGaIn, softer yet.

"I ALsO hope that--eR--I tRust that sincE we'Re neigHbOurS, i--we----"

"ThE waLl is nOt insuRMountaBle, sir.  WelL?  O MAn," she cRIed
suddENLy--"If yoU really want it so whY DoN'T you ask for it--or Take
it?"

thE maJOR stAreD and flusheD.

"YOu--you MEan----"

"This!" SHe CRIEd aND tossed the rosE to his feet.  SCArcEly belIeVinG
His eyeS he stOoPEd aNd took it up, aNd hoLding it in RevereNT fingerS
Watched Her hasTinG alOng tHE yEw-WalK.  STAndINg ThuS He sAw her met
By A sLendeR, eleGANT GentLemAn, saW him sToop to kiss her WhiTe
fiNGerS, and, tUrninG sudDeNly, stRode to The laDdEr.

So the Major preSentLy climbed BacK oVer ThE wall ANd went His Way, The
rose TenderlY CheRiSHED iN the depths of one of hIs GREaT side-pocKets
anD, As He WEnt, he limPeD raTher NOTiceaBly bUT wHistled sOftly tO
HiMsElf, a thiNg Very stRaNge In hIm, whiSTled Softly But very mErrilY.




cHAPTER V

HOW SERgeANT ZEBEDEE TRinG begAn tO WOnDEr

Mrs. Agatha sAt juST witHin tHE kItcHEn-garDen shElLInG Peas--and Mrs.
Agatha did It As only A realLy accomplisheD woman mighT; AT Least, so
tHougHT SERgeant Zebedee, wHo, busIed about soME of his muLtifaRious
carPentry jobS, HAppened tO coMe tHat Way.  hE ThOught also that WITh
heR pRetty faCe bEneath sNowY moB-caP, heR sHapely figUre in its NeAt
GoWn, She Made aS AttractiVe A piCtUre As any MAn mighT see oN the
LoNgESt dAy's marcH--Of ALL whiCh mrS. AgaTha WaS suprEmelY ConScious,
oF course.

"A hOt dAY, mam!" SaId He, haltiNg.

Mrs. Agatha glAnCed up
 nothing in particular.

" Your guest s awa ityou ,"  sai d he .

"They often do,"  she answered.

"I'llgo,"sa i d th e  M ajorand gla n ce d tow ar dthe  l a dd er. "Go od-bye,  my
lady." 

" We ll?" she ask e dsoftly.

" And --er--my gra tef ul tha nk s-- - -"

" Wel l?" s he ask e d agai n, softer  y e t.

"I also ho p e  t hat- -er--I trust that si n ce we're neigh bours,  I - -w e - --- "
"The wallis  noti nsurmou n ta b l e , s i r.  Well?  Oman," she c r ied 
sudde nl y-- " if you  real ly wan t it so why  don 't you as k fori t--or t a ke
it?" 

TheMaj orstar e dan d f lu s hed . 
"Yo u --y ou mean- -- -" 

"Th is!" s h e  cri edandtosse d the rose to  hi s fe e t. Scar celybeli ev ing
h is eye s hest ooped and tookit u p, and ho ldi ng  it  i n rev e rent f ing ers 
watche d her h a sti ng a l on g the yew-walk.  S ta n d in g thus h e sawh er  m e t
by a s le nde r, e l e gantgent l em an, sawhim st o op  t o kisshe r whit efin ger s, an d , tu rningsuddenly , str o de to the ladd e r.

So the Ma j or p re s entl y c limbed back  ove r  the  wal l  a ndw ent h is wa y, th e 
rose tenderly cher is hed in  thedepths of one  of his gr e a t  side-po cket s 
a n d, as he went,  he l imped rath e r notice ablybut whis tled soft l y  to
hims elf , a  th ing v er y strange inh i m, w hi stled s oft ly butver y m err ily .



CHAPT ER V

HO WSE RG EA NTZEBED E E TRINGBE GAN  T O W ONDER 
Mrs.Agath a sa tju s t w ithin t h ek i tche n- ga rden  sh el lingpeas - -an d Mrs.Agatha di d i t  ason ly  a real ly accomplish ed  woman mig ht ; a t leas t ,  so
thou ght Sergeant Zebedee, w h o, busi edabout  som e of hismul tifari ous carpen try jo bs, h ap pen e d  to c o m etha tway.  He t h o ugh t als othat  with
h er pretty face ben e ath  snowy mob-ca p,hers h ap ely fi g ure  i n  it s neat
gown, shemade as at tr a ct ive a pict u reas  any ma n might  seeo n the
l ongest da y's march -- of a l l  wh ich Mrs. A gatha wa s supreme l y con s ci ous,ofcourse .
"A  hotday, m a m!"  said  he, h al ting.
Mrs.  A gatha gl anced up
 nothing_in particular.

"Your_guests await you," said_he.

"They often_do,"_she answered.

"I'll_go,"_said the Major_and glanced toward_the ladder.  "Good-bye,_my
lady."

"Well?" she asked_softly.

"And--er--my_grateful thanks----"

"Well?" she asked again, softer yet.

"I also hope that--er--I trust that since we're_neighbours,_I--we----"

"The wall_is_not_insurmountable, sir.  Well? _O man," she cried
suddenly--"if you_really want_it so why don't you ask for it--or_take
it?"

The_Major stared and_flushed.

"You--you mean----"

"This!" she cried and tossed the rose to_his feet.  Scarcely believing
his eyes_he stooped and_took_it_up, and holding it_in reverent fingers
watched her hasting along_the yew-walk.  Standing thus he_saw her met
by a slender, elegant gentleman,_saw him stoop to kiss her_white
fingers, and, turning suddenly, strode_to the_ladder.

So the Major presently climbed_back over the_wall and_went his way,_the
rose tenderly cherished in the depths_of one of_his great side-pockets
and, as he went,_he_limped rather noticeably_but_whistled_softly to
himself,_a thing very_strange_in him,_whistled_softly but very merrily.




CHAPTER V

HOW SERGEANT_ZEBEDEE_TRING BEGAN TO WONDER

Mrs. Agatha sat just_within the kitchen-garden shelling_peas--and_Mrs.
Agatha did it as_only a really accomplished woman_might; at least, so
thought Sergeant Zebedee,_who, busied_about some_of his multifarious
carpentry jobs, happened to come that way.  He_thought also that with
her pretty face_beneath snowy mob-cap, her_shapely figure_in_its neat
gown, she_made_as attractive_a picture as any man might see_on the
longest_day's march--of all which Mrs. Agatha_was supremely conscious,
of course.

"A_hot_day, mam!" said he, halting.

Mrs. Agatha_glanced up