The Queen's Cup

ned from shooting, and the guests were gathered in the drawing room; in the pleasant half hour of dusk when the lamps have not yet been lighted, though it is a

n's only child, a girl of sixteen; who was nestled in an easy

t know,

ot yet reached an age when the formal "Miss Gr

the extent they carry it. I don't think I should believe it at

ky, Captai

has always stood between me and success; at least, he alwa

me abo

tion, but there is not

success over him. It was a very tough fight-by far the toughest I ever had. I was stronger than he, but he was the more active. I fancied that it would not be v

thing about its being his turn next time. Till then he had not been considered a first-rate hand at anything; he was one of those fellows who saunter through school, get up

gether. He took to cricket in downright earnest, and was soon acknowledged to be the best bat and best bowler in the school. Before that it had been regarded as certain that when the captain left I should be elected, but when the time came he

nd or third. He took to reading, and in six weeks after the fight won his way to the top of the class and remained there

hem together. A fellow may be a duffer generally and yet turn out Latin verse better than fellows who are vastly superior to him on other points. It was regarded as cert

oke of his boat, and everyone said that success was due to his rowing, and I believe it was. I did not so much mind that, for my line was chiefly sculling. I had won in my own College, and entered for Henley, where it was generally thought that I had

aten in the final heat. He stroked the University afterwards. Though I was tried I did not even get a seat

together, and the friends to whom I showed my poem before sending it in all thought that I had a very good chance. I felt hopeful myself, for I had not heard that he was t

ever succeed in anything if he were my rival. Since then our lives have been altogether apart, although I have met him occasionally. Of course we speak, for there has never been

le. I regard him as being in some sort of way my evil genius. I own

you won the Victoria Cross in the Crimea, and everyone knows that you are one of the best shots

nvinced that if that fellow had been in the Redan that day, he would have got the Victoria Cross, and I should not. There is no doubt about his pluck, and if it had only been to put me in the shade he woul

ieve it, Capt

a remarkably handsome fellow, a first-rate talker, an

rfect Crichton,

h he was always suspected of having had a hand, though it was never proved. I was always convinced that he used cribs, and partly owed his place to them. I was jealous enough to believe that the Latin verses he sent in were w

eat him, but an hour before the race I got frightful cramps, a thing that I never had before or since, and I could hardly make a fight at all. I thought a

hin skin. It certainly was not there when it was on the rack, but it was there when I rowed back to the boathouse, and it could only have got there by being put on as the boat was being lowered into the water. There were three or four men helping to low

against anyone; but I was certain that he was not so fast as I was, for during practice my time had been as nearly as possible the same as that o

ertha said, indignantly. "I wonder you

had said anything about it. Committees would have sat upon it, and the thing would have got into the papers. Fellows would have taken

ible nuisance; it was much better to

ld not have done

ad once set the ball rolling, you would have been sorry that you had not bided your time an

hateful," th

ust that our paths will never cross again. If so, I have no doubt that I shall again get the worst of it. At any rate, you see I was not wi

him in the future you will turn the tables on him.

e I shall try, and I hope that your good wishes will counte

adies. "It is time for us to go up to dress for dinner, and though I sh

Greendale. His elder brother had been killed in the hunting field a few months before, and Frank Mallett, who was fond of his

e down on the estate; but ten days later came the news of the outbreak of the Sepoys of Barrackpoor, and he

uble had been current for some little time, and the affai

he rota for Indian service, but as the news grew worse regiment after regiment was hurried off, and it now stood very near the head of the list.

ay. He was burning to be off. There had at first been keen disappointment in the regiment that they were not likely to take part in the fierce struggle; but the feeling had changed into one

tion, men had been called back from furlough, the heavy baggage had been packed; and all was ready for a start at twenty-four hours' notice.

moment, Mallett?" said the host

moment my fellow might ride up with the order for me to return at once, and we are

either for the siege of Delhi or

me to share in those affairs; but even if we are late both for Lucknow and Delhi, there will be plenty for us to do. What with the Sepoy army and with the native chiefs that have joined them, and the fighting men of Oude and one thing and another, there cannot be less than 200,000 men in

d like to be out there to lend a hand in avenging this awful busi

Sir John. If Government were to call for them I b

an War; but it was as nothing to that which has been excited by these massacres. Had it been a simple mutiny among the troops we should all be well content to leave the matter in the hands of our soldiers; but

work in comparison with that which is going on in India. It was lucky for you that that first mutiny took pla

on't know how I should be feeling if I had been out of

ely to embark from Ply

of any transports being sent round to Marseilles lately. Of course, in any case we shall have to land at Alexandria and cross the desert to Suez. I should fancy, now that the advantages of that route have been shown, that troops in future will

Mallett?" Sir John Greendale asked, as they lingered for a mo

management of the estate, and had the greatest confidence in him. I have known him since I was a child, and have always liked him, so I c

will, so that I shall have nothing to trouble me on that score. Tr

n for its provisions to be carried out, but it is always best that a man shou

in five and twenty minutes, and unless a telegram comes within an hour of the night mail passing through Stroud, I shall be able to manage it. I saw everything pa

drove home. The next morning he received a letter from the Adjutan

get the news at the War Office today, and will probably wire at once. I think we shall most likely leave here by a train early the next morning. I shall, of

ted messenger from Strou

tomorrow morning.

nd saying goodbye to his tenants. He lunched at the house of one of the leading farmers, where as a boy he had been always mad

re I come back. I shall leave the army then, and give a big dinner to my tenants, with a

came round the corner of the house, and on

ge Lechmere

our came into

ith you, and has gone off jealous. Well, you will hav

st be going. I have a

d drove away, while the girl w

looked up a

with me about his father's twelve-acre meadow. I want it badly this winter, for I have had more land

r head, "but when he saw me talking to Captain Mallett he turned and

ld be renewed; for the young fellow's character stood high. He was his father's right hand, and would naturally succeed him to the farm. His parents, too, had heartily approved of the match. So far, however, the prospect of the young people coming together was not encouraging. Martha

lett was on the point of leaving with his regiment for India, and yet to see him chatt

d not be always thinking of her. I know I am a fool to let a girl trouble me so, but I can't help it. If I stay here I know that I shall do mischief either to her or to someone else. I felt like doing it last month when she was over at that business at Squire Carthew's-he is just such another one as Captain Mallett, only he is a bad landlord, while ours is a good one. What made him think of asking all his own tenantry, and a good many of us round,

of young cattle I bought the other day. I do

he had turned away so angrily a few hours before. It was not the nearest way, but somehow he alwa

d the wall that bounded the kitchen garden of

ave told you I am off tomorrow. We will be married as s

tha's voice replied,

back a lady," he said. "It will be

he made a desperate attempt to climb the wall, which was, however, too high. When, after

ow. Bennett has always been a good friend to me, and so has his wife, and it would

ity of carrying them out, for the next morning he heard that Martha Bennett had disappeared. How or why, no one knew. She had been missing since tea ti

al opinion was that she must have been murdered, and every pond was dragged, every ditch

"that her parents and friends should

knowing how passionately he had been attached to Martha, were not surprised at his

omething of the girl's disappearance. His intense jealousy had been a source of grief and trouble to them. Previous to his engagement to Martha he had been everything the

h he had not fully shared, had been the occasion for a violent outburst of temper, never exhibited by him at any othe

emembering the past, each entertained a secret dread that there had been some more violent

ance he briefly announced his intention of leaving the farm and enlisting in t

nd maybe it is as well that you should make a change, too. You have been a good son, and I sha

ther, but I feel that

I shall say no word to hinder you," and then his wife w

lothes, carrying a bundle. Few words were spoken

never thought to leave you like this, but things ha

k to you to

his bundle and stick and went out, leaving his brothers, who ha