"
"So, Mr. Halbert," said Alice, looking round at him, "you are only come
to take my brother away from me!"
"I assure you, Miss Brentwood, that I have only aided and abetted: the
idea was his own."
"Well, well, I see how it is;--we were too happy I suppose."
"But, Alice," said Jim, "won't you be proud to see your brother a good
soldier?"
"Proud! I was always proud of you. But I wish the idea had never come
into your head. If it was in war time I would say nothing, but now it
is very different. Well, gentlemen, I shall leave you to your wine. Mr.
Halbert, I like you very much, but I wish you hadn't turned Jim's
head."
She left them, and walked down the garden; through the twilight among
the vines, which were dropping their yellow leaves lightly on the turf
before the breath of the autumn evening. So Jim was going,--going to
be killed probably, or only coming back after ten years' absence, "full
of strange oaths and bearded like a pard!" She knew well how her father
would jump at his first hint of being a soldier, and would move heaven
and earth to get him a commission,--yes, he would go--her own
darling, funny, handsome Jim, and she would be left all alone.
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