"
"Loses his head, sir?"
"Yes — by a cannon ball; or his heart, by a musket ball; or
maybe he gets off with losing a hand or a leg; just as it
happens. That makes no difference, either." He watched Daisy
as he spoke, seeing a slight colour rise in her cheeks, and
wondering what made the child's quiet grey eyes look at him so
thoughtfully.
"Captain Drummond, is he ever told to do anything he _can't_
do?"
"A few years ago, Daisy, the English and the French were
fighting the Russians in the Crimea. I happened to be there on
business, and I saw some things. An order was brought one day
to an officer commanding a body of cavalry — you know what
cavalry is?"
"Yes, I know."
"The order was brought in — Hallo! what's that?" For a voice
was heard shouting at a little distance, "Drummond! Ho,
Drummond! Where are you?"
"It's Mr. McFarlane!" said Daisy. "He'll come here. I'm very
sorry."
"Don't be sorry," said the Captain. "Come, — let us disappoint
him. He can't play hide and seek."
He jumped up and caught Daisy's willing hand, with the other
hand caught up her shawl, and drew her along swiftly under
cover of the trees and shrubbery towards the river, and away
from the voice they heard calling.
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