"I am not sure of that," observed my mother, who was looking from a window: "here are two cavaliers crossing the park. By the way they ride, I should say they are Englishmen."
"Is one a big, handsome man?" I asked.
"Well, yes, he is certainly big!"
"That is O'Brien, then; and the other most probably is the colonel."
I was not mistaken. In a short time Colonel Miller and his friend were in the room, and each in turn shook me heartily by the hand.
"We hardly expected to see you again so soon," said the colonel, laughing. "We thought Canterac had taken a fancy to your company. I hope there is no permanent injury to the foot?"
"Oh no, colonel; only I shan't be able to do any more mountain climbing yet awhile."
"There's none to do," broke in O'Brien; "we've taken to dancing instead."
"I shall not be able even to join in that for some time."
"No? What a pity! We are enjoying ourselves immensely, though it seems rather an odd way of carrying on a war."