He was a good of the long-service soldier of those days; a not unhandsome man, with a certain undemonstrative dignity, which some might have said to be partly owing to the stiffness of his uniform about his neck, the high stock being still worn.  He was much than when Selina had parted from him.  Although she had not meant to be demonstrative she ran across to him directly she saw him, and he held her in his arms and kissed her.  
Then in much she whispered something to him, at which he seemed to be much surprised.
 
‘He’s just put to bed,’ she continued.  ‘You can go up and see him.  I knew you’d come if you were alive!  But I had quite gi’d you up for dead.  You’ve been home in England ever since the war ended?’
 
‘Yes, dear.’
 
‘Why didn’t you come sooner?’
 
‘That’s just what I ask myself!  Why was I such a sappy as not to hurry here the first day I set foot on shore!  Well, who’d have thought it—you are as pretty as ever!’
 
He her to peep upstairs a little way, where, by looking through the ballusters, he could see Johnny’s cot just within an open door.  On his stepping down again Mr. was preparing to depart.
 
‘Now, what’s this?  I am sorry to see anybody going the moment I’ve come,’ expostulated the sergeant-major.  ‘I thought we might make an evening of it.  There’s a nine gallon cask o’ “Phoenix” beer outside in the trap, and a ham, and half a rawmil’ cheese; for I thought you might be short o’ in a lonely place like this; and it struck me we might like to ask in a neighbour or two.  But perhaps it would be taking a liberty?’
 
‘O no, not at all,’ said Mr. Paddock, who was now in the room, in a measured manner.  ‘Very thoughtful of ’ee, only ’twas not necessary, for we had just laid in an extry stock of eatables and drinkables in preparation for the coming event.’
 
‘’Twas very kind, upon my heart,’ said the soldier, ‘to think me worth such a preparation, since you could only have got my letter this morning.’
 
Selina gazed at her father to stop him, and exchanged embarrassed glances with Miller.  Contrary to her hopes Sergeant-Major Clark plainly did not know that the preparations referred to were for something quite other than his own visit.
 
The movement of the horse outside, and the impatient tapping of a whip-handle upon the vehicle reminded them that Clark’s driver was still in waiting.  The provisions were brought into the house, and the cart dismissed.  Miller, with very little pressure indeed, accepted an invitation to supper, and a few neighbours were induced to come in to make up a cheerful party.
 
During the laying of the meal, and throughout its continuance, Selina, who sat beside her first intended husband, tried frequently to break the news to him of her engagement to the other—now terminated so suddenly, and so happily for her heart, and her sense of womanly .  But the talk ran upon the late war; and though by half a horn of the strong ale brought by the sergeant-major she that she might have a better opportunity when supper was over of revealing the situation to him in private.
 
Having supped, Clark leaned back at ease in his chair and looked around.  ‘We used sometimes to have a dance in that other room after supper, Selina dear, I .  We used to clear out all the furniture into this room before beginning.  Have you kept up such goings on?’
 
‘No, not at all!’ said his sweetheart, sadly.
 
‘We were not unlikely to revive it in a few days,’ said Mr. Paddock.  ‘But, howsomever, there’s seemingly many a slip, as the saying is.’
 
‘Yes, I’ll tell John all about that by and by!’ interposed Selina; at which, perceiving that the secret which he did not like keeping was to be kept even yet, her father held his tongue with some show of .
 
The subject of a dance having been , to put the thought in practice was the feeling of all.  Soon after the tables and chairs were borne from the opposite room to this by hands, and two of the villagers sent home for a and , when the majority began to tread a measure well known in that vale.  Selina naturally danced with the sergeant-major, not altogether to her father’s satisfaction, and to the real uneasiness of her mother, both of whom would have preferred a of festivities till the rashly anticipated relationship between their daughter and Clark in the past had been made fact by the church’s .  They did not, however, express a positive objection, Mr. Paddock remembering, with self-reproach, that it was owing to his original strongly expressed of Selina’s being a soldier’s wife that the wedding had been delayed, and finally hindered—with worse consequences than were expected; and ever since the misadventure brought about by his government he had allowed events to their own courses.
 
‘My tails will surely catch in your spurs, John!’ murmured the daughter of the house, as she whirled around upon his arm with the rapt soul and look of a somnambulist.  ‘I didn’t know we should dance, or I woul............