The face
they framed was pale in the starlight, but the lips were red, and the
black eyes feverishly bright.
"Father," she went on, "I have something I must tell you."
Then, as he continued to regard her with displeasure, she broke off,
and put the question that of all her trouble was uppermost.
"What has become of Tristram?"
"He has gone to make the campaign against the French. He was
enlisted to-day. It was--unexpected," her father answered slowly,
with his eyes fixed on hers.
"He went unwillingly," she said, speaking in a quick whisper; "he
was dragged off--trepanned! Simeon told me about it, and besides, I
know--"
"What do you know?"
"I know he never went willingly. Oh, father, listen"--with a swift
and pretty impulse she stepped forward, and reaching up her clasped
hands laid them on his shoulder--"Tristram--Tristram is very fond of
me."
"Good Lord!"
Captain Jemmy raised a hand to disengage her grasp from his shoulder,
but let it fall again.
"He told me so this morning at sunrise," she went on rapidly. "You
see, it was May morning, and I went out to gather the dew, and he was
there, in the garden already, and he said--well, he said what I told
you; and being so masterful--"
"I can't say I've observed that quality in the young man; but no
doubt you've had better opportunities of judging.
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