"It is only a flower," he replied, with a laugh. "Only a flower! You have killed it. You cannot make it live again. Why need you have cut its sweet life short?" "It will not be missed from among so many," he said. "You might say the same thing of yourself," she retorted. "The world is full of men, and you would hardly be missed from so many; yet you would not like----" "There is some little difference between a man and a flower, Miss Darrell," he interrupted, stiffly. "There is, indeed; and the flowers have the advantage," she retorted. The captain solaced himself by twisting his mustache, and relieved his feelings by some few muttered words, which Miss Darrell did not hear. In her quick, impulsive way, she judged him at once. "He is cruel and selfish," she thought; "he would not even stoop to save the life of the sweetest flower that blows. He shall not forget killing that lily," she continued, as she gathered the broken chalice, and placed it in her belt. "Every time he looks at me," she said, "he shall remember what he has done." The captain evidently understood her amiable intention, and liked her accordingly. They walked on for some minutes in perfect silence; then Pauline turned to him suddenly. "Have you been long in the army, Captain Langton?" Flattered by a question that seemed to evince some personal interest, he hastened to reply: "More than eight years. I joined when I was twenty." "Have you seen any service?" she asked. "No," he replied. "My regiment had been for many years in active service just before I joined, so that we have been at home since then." "In inglorious ease," she said. "We are ready for work," he returned, "when work comes." "How do you employ your time?" she asked; and again he was flattered by the interest that the question showed. His face flushed. Here was a grand opportunity of showing this haughty girl, this "proudest Darrell of them all," that he was eagerly sought after in society such as she had not yet seen. "You have no conception of the immense number of engagements that occupy our time," he replied; "I am fond of horses--I take a great interest in all races." If he had added that he was one of the greatest gamblers on the turf, he would have spoken truthfully. "Horse racing," said Miss Darrell--"that is the favorite occupation of English gentlemen, is it not?" "I should imagine so. Then I am considered--you must pardon my boasting--one of the best billiard players in London." "That is not much of a boast," she remarked, with such quiet contempt that the captain could only look at her in sheer wonder. "There are balls, operas, parties, suppers--I cannot tell what; and the ladies engross a great deal of our time. We soldiers never forget our devotion and chivalry to the fair sex, Miss Darrell."