"You are very good, madame, and I am very grateful. Perhaps you would consult Lord Deseret about her too, if you think well. He has been very kind in the matter." "And you have no feeling for her at all?" "There is only one girl in all the world for me, and that is Gracie Eager. You'll understand when you see her." Then he wrung her hand very warmly, and said a final good-bye, and went away,--very tired, but with something of a load off his heart as regarded Kattie at all events. CHAPTER XLI HORSE AND FOOT The dullest pages in history are those which record the long, slow years of peace and progress, when everything goes well and nothing lively happens. Jack's term of service at Chatham had been such. His record was one of simple hard work, considerable acquirement, and a methodic, level life. His work appealed to him, and he gave himself up heart and soul, and might have given his health as well if the authorities had not seen to it. Brains in an officer were very acceptable, and the concentrated application of them still more so--to say nothing of the comparative rarity of the combination. But brains without body would obviously be of small service to the country, and so Jack was kept fairly fit in spite of himself. He won the golden opinions of his instructors and examiners, and was looked upon as a reliable officer and a coming man. "Give us a good tough bit of siege work," he had said, with hot enthusiasm, as they tramped the frozen sands at Carne that last time, "and we'll show them what we are made of." "A good open country and plenty of room for cavalry to man[oe]uvre, that's what _we_ want," said Jim, with relish, "and we'll show the world what British squadrons can do." "Tough sieges somehow seem a bit out of date," said Mr. Eager. "I should say Jim's horses are more likely to be in it." "I'd sooner have the siege," said Gracie; and they all clamoured to know why, and Jim felt humpy. "Oh, just because you're all farther away from one another and not so likely to get hurt," said she. "When you fight on horses you're bound to get close to one another." "That's what we want," growled Jim. "The closer the better." "And then the poor horses!" said. Gracie, with a shiver. "To say nothing of the poor men!" growled Jim once more. "It's all horrid and hateful and wicked. I don't mean you two," she added hastily, "but the people who bring it about. If they all had to fight themselves, instead of sending other people to do it for them, they wouldn't be so ready to begin." "They'd make a pretty poor show, some of them," laughed Jack. "Think of little Johnny Russell facing up to the Tsar." "David and Goliath," suggested the Rev. Charles. "Goliath got the stone in his eye--well, in his head, it's all the same--and so he will this time," said Jim. "Artillery!" said Jack triumphantly. "David cut off his head," said Gracie. "Infantry assault after we--I mean the artillery--had made the breach."