"You think there will be def—disasters?" said she, at last.
"How can I tell? That we are what we always were, I doubt not. Scoutbush will fight as merrily as I. But we owe the penalty of many sins, and we shall pay it."
It would be as unfair, perhaps, as easy, to make Major Campbell a prophet after the fact, by attributing to him any distinct expectation of those mistakes which have been but too notorious since. Much of the sadness in his tone may have been due to his habitual melancholy; his strong belief that the world was deeply diseased, and that some terrible purgation would surely come, when it was needed. But it is difficult, again, to conceive that those errors were altogether unforeseen by many an officer of Campbell's experience and thoughtfulness.
"We will talk no more of it just now." And they walked up to Penalva
Court, seriously enough.
"Well, Scoutbush, any letters from town?" said the Major.
"Yes."
"You have heard what has happened at D—— Barracks?"
"Yes."
"You had better take care then, that the like of it does not happen here."
"Here?"