been at twice the noise coming from an ordinary band.  I was wondering whether they might think it the roar of some strange animal—­you know how a camel frightens a horse.  But I envied the officer who was riding in front of the soldiers.  He was a very handsome man; and I thought how proud he must feel to be at the head of those fine, stalwart fellows.  In fact, I felt for a moment that I should like to have command of a regiment myself.”

“Faith,” said the major, gallantly, “I would exchange into that regiment, if I had to serve as a drummer-boy.”

Embarrassed by this broad compliment?  Not a bit of it.  She laughed lightly, and then rose to introduce the two visitors to her father, who had just entered the room.

It was not to be expected that Mr. White, knowing the errand of his guests, should give them an inordinately effusive welcome; but he was gravely polite.  He prided himself on being a man of common-sense, and he knew it was no use fighting against the inevitable.  If his daughter would leave the stage, she would; and there was some small compensation in the fact that by her doing so she would become Lady Macleod.  He would have less money to spend on trinkets two hundred years old; but he would gain something—­a very little no doubt—­from the reflected lustre of her social position.

“We were talking about officers, papa,” she said, brightly, “and I was about to confess that I have always had a great liking for soldiers.  I know if I had been a man I should have been a soldier.  But do you know, Sir Keith, you were once very rude to me about your friend Lieutenant Ogilvie?”

Macleod started.

“I hope not,” said he gravely.

“Oh yes, you were.  Don’t you remember the Caledonian Ball?  I only remarked that Lieutenant Ogilvie, who seemed to me a bonnie boy, did not look as if he were a very formidable warrior; and you answered with some dark saying—­what was it?—­that nobody could tell what sword was in a scabbard until it was drawn?”

“Oh,” said he, laughing somewhat nervously, “you forget:  I was talking to the Duchess of Devonshire.”

“And I am sure her Grace was much obliged to you for frightening her so,” Miss White said, with a dainty smile.

Major Stuart was greatly pleased by the appearance and charming manner of this young lady.  If Macleod, who was confessedly a handsome young fellow, had searched all over England, he could not have chosen a fitter mate.  But he was also distinctly of opinion—­judging by his one eye only—­that nobody needed to be alarmed about this young lady’s exceeding sensitiveness and embarrassment before strangers.  He thought she would on all occasions be fairly capable of holding her own.  And he was quite convinced, too, that the beautiful clear eyes, under the long lashes, pretty accurately divined what was going forward.  But what did this impression of the honest soldier’s amount to?  Only, in other words, that Miss Gertrude White, although a pretty woman, was not a fool.