“Then you don’t know much about the life of a private, do you?”
“Oh, well, if you are going to be fastidious, I say no more; but there are lots of gentlemen in the ranks, and many rankers become officers on their own merits. One of my girl friends has a brother—why”—and she paused—“there’s the moon!”
Unobserved by the pair, a gradual lightening of the clouds had been steadily taking place; now these had suddenly parted, and the moon with her lidless eye stared down upon the young people—who glanced at one another interrogatively.
“Well, you have given me a lead,” said Hegan, springing to his feet, “and, by Jove, I’ll take it, and the King’s Shilling, to-morrow.”
“Oh, Mr. Hegan, perhaps I may be wrong,” she protested, startled by her success. “Do not be led by me—after all, I’m little more than a school-girl. I have no real experience. Don’t do anything in a hurry.”
“Ah! I see your courage cannot stand the moonlight—but your misgivings come too late. I shall sell my old ticker, also my old gun, and start off and offer myself at a cavalry depôt. I’ll apply for a regiment in India.”
“I am really frightened at my presumption,” she murmured.
“You need not be, I just wanted the call to start me; no one has ever spoken the word ‘off’ till now. This for young people is a sleepy enervating part of the world; the big trees and the water suck up vitality, and make one disinclined to rise, and be doing, and to shake off sloth. With a fairly active body I have an indolent and fatalistic mind. Miss de Lisle, I am your debtor for life.”
“That remains to be seen!” she protested.
“Well”—now consulting an old silver turnip—“it is nearly seven, and I must take you home; but first of all you will have to come with me to Heganstown. I guarantee you’ll see no one, and I’ll get you back soon after seven, drive you over in the dogcart, deposit you at the back gate, and leave you to manage the rest.”