must learn to look this sort of thing in the face."

"When you are away," he said to her, as soon as she was once more by his side in the brougham, "there is a blank in my existence."

"Try tobacco; it's a capital substitute for dinner they say, and with many men would, I daresay, make up for the absence of the dear object."

"I will next time, but you would find the carriage unbearable afterwards."

How

"But you mustn't smoke inside. ever; listen, now. I have settled everything -special license at St. James's church. You give notice to the registrar at St. Tadds, and ten days after date the knot shall be tied."

"My admiration for you exceeds all bounds."

"You've said that so often before that it's no news; and I won't let you kiss me with my bonnet on, because it spoils it."

"There are lots of bonnets in the world. I'll give you a dozen."

"Done; shall I tell the man to drive me straight to Regent Street?"

"No, tell him to drop me at my club." "Why, you'll come back and dine, won't you? You can go back by the last train." "No, darling; I must be at that place before night fall."

"And when shall I see you again? To

morrow?"

"I'd have to take a season ticket at that rate. To-morrow I must write or go to head quarters about my leave. I suppose you know that I am going to be married next week, and that my wife will want to rush away somewhere for a honeymoon ?"

"Will she? That's news. If it were me I should be quite content to go to St. Tadds, or to your part of the world, for I have yet to make the acquaintance of your people at home."

"I'll ask for a couple of months. That will give us time to go to Clungunford and all."

Then the brougham stopped, and they parted with as much show of affection as they dared in the broad daylight. Ernestine clung to her lover, and seemed loathe to let him go.

"Hurry Hoffman, there's a dear," said Ernestine; "I have no end of things to arrange, and am quite helpless without her." "I'll pack your trunks myself if I may." 66 Yes, do; but send her

ing, first thing if you can.

off in the morn

God bless you,

old boy. You can trust me now, can't you?" she said, holding his hand as he stood by the side of the brougham.

He made no reply in words, but his eyes answered volumes of unspoken confidence, and he remained there watching her carriage whirled away, till it was lost in the crowd.

CHAPTER IV.

MARRIED AND DONE for.

"How dost thou Benedick the married man ?”

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING,

A LONG correspondence ensued between Geoffrey at St. Tadds and the Adjutant at Smoketown, as soon as the former got back to his detachment from love-making in London.

In the first letter, Lieutenant Singleton applied for two months leave. Leave, replied

the Adjutant, during the summer season, and while in command of an important outpost, was an idea not to be entertained for a single moment. Then Geoffrey Then Geoffrey begged that someone might be sent to replace him at St. Tadds. It was impossible, the Colonel said, through Macpherson, to carry out any relief of the detachment at present. Geoffrey was at his wit's end. He was too shame-faced to make a clean breast of it, and confess outright that he was going to be married.

Yet there seemed no alternative. He made himself miserable for a day or two, and ended by resolving to set all orders and regulations at defiance. In person he would go to head quarters. Here, failing all else, he would tell Colonel Cheadleigh the whole truth, or induce some one to exchange with him and go to St. Tadds.

It was the afternoon when Geoffrey reached Smoketown-three o'clock or later-and the adjutant was standing by the barrack gate as