"Yes. I think it's the pine woods. High trees. Attract moisture.
Don't say it is, dear. I'm not big at that sort of thing, but we do
have a deal of rain here."
"Why, papa was complaining the other day about want of water," said
Glynne, smiling.
"Ah, that was for his turnips. They want rain. You won't be
disappointed?"
"I?--oh, no," said Glynne, quietly.
"Think I'll do a bit of training this afternoon. I'm not quite up to
the mark."
"Are you always going to train so much, dear?" said Glynne,
thoughtfully.
"Always? Eh? Always? Oh, no; of course not; but it's a man's duty to
get himself up to the very highest pitch of health and strength. But if
you'd set your mind upon a ride, we'll go."
"I?--oh, no," said Glynne. "I thought you wished it, dear."
"That's all right then," said Rolph, cheerfully. "By-bye, beauty," he
said, kissing her. "I say, Glynne, 'pon my word, I think you are the
most lovely woman I ever saw."
She smiled at him as he turned at the doorway, nodding back at her, and
she remained fixed to the spot as the captain, cigar in mouth, passed
directly after, turning to kiss his hand as he saw her dimly through the
window.
For Glynne did not run across the room to stand and watch him till he
was out of sight, but remained where he had left her, with a couple of
dull red spots glowing in her cheeks for a time, and then dying slowly
out, leaving her very pale.
Glynne was thinking deeply, and it was evident that her thoughts were
giving her pain, for her eyes darkened, then half-closed, and she slowly
walked up and down the room a few times, and then returned to her chair,
to bend over, rest her head upon her hand, and sit gazing straight
before her at the soft carpet, remaining almost motionless for quite
half-an-hour, when she sighed deeply, took up her book, and continued
reading.
Rolph went right off at once through the park and out across the long
meadow and into the fir wood, where, as if led by some feeling of
attraction, he made for the spot where the encounter had taken place a
week before, and stopped for a few minutes to gaze at the ground, as if
he expected to see the traces still there.
"Tchah!" he exclaimed, impatiently; "it was an accident. Guns will go
off sometimes."
He wrenched himself away, walking on amongst the trees rapidly for a
time, and then stopped to relight his cigar, whose near end was a good
deal gnawed and shortened.
"Tchah!" he ejaculated again. "I won't think of it. Just as well blame
oneself, if a fellow in one's troop goes down, and breaks his leg in a
charge."
He puffed furiously at his cigar as he went on, and then forgot it
again, so that it went out, and he threw it away impatiently, thrust his
hands into his pockets, and walked as fast as the nature of the ground
would permit.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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