"The regiment's ordered abroad."
"O Edward!"
For a few minutes neither spoke again. Sara's greatest thought was for her father. She seemed to have divined how cruelly Dr. Davenal felt the separation from his sons; Richard dead, Edward in London with his regiment. If he had to go abroad to remote countries, thousands of miles away--why, almost as good that he had died. They should feel it so.
"And that explains why I could not get a long leave," he resumed. "There's so much of preparation to be made; and we officers have to look to everything, for the men as well as for ourselves. We sail in a week or two."
They paced on in silence. Captain Davenal suddenly looked down at her, and detected tears.
"Don't grieve, child. I am but a worthless sort of brother, after all--never with you. Perhaps I shall come back a better one."
"Edward, can't you sell out?"
"Sell out!" he exclaimed, in astonishment. "Sell out because we are ordered on active service. You are a brave soldier's sister, Miss Sara Davenal!"
"Some time ago, when there was a question of the regiment's going out, you were to have exchanged into another, and remained at home, Edward. It was just after Richard's death, I remember. Can you not do that now?"
"No, I cannot. I can neither sell out nor exchange. It is impossible."