The New South., 1898-01-15

man, fine Of feature under coat OF
bronze. broad-shouldered, with every
one Of his six feet aud three inches Of
height proclaiming the soldier. BY
his side walked two boys Of thirteen
or fourteen.
''No. Who is itsr asked the second
Etonian. He's almost as tall as
sOzzy.'"
''Its Colonel Hope, I'm sure of it.
Know him from tho photographs,
whispered the first. "Snppose he's
come to show those chaps his old
hunting ground. They can't be his
sons, for he isn't married, so far as
ever heard. Only think he got the
v. G. when he was major of thirty.
Know all about him? / should say /
did, aud so ought you. Ever since l
was 80 high he's been one OF my
heroes. read the other day he was
back in England. Wonder how ii
seems, after fifteen years Of good hard
fighting in India and Afghanistan and
Chitral?"
The two Etonian youths looked very
much as though they would have liked
to go up and shake hands with the
famous soldier, but instead they
passed wistfully on, unnoticed by their
hero.
1t was June day, of blue and green
and gold, with scent of new-mown
hay and sweet briar in the air. Colonel
Hope walked thoughtfully with his
two nephews IN the famous Playing
Fields of Eton.
The boys were about to enter the
old school he loved, and as he trod the
familiar paths hundred memories OF
his early youth came crowding into
his mind. He was only thirty eight,
but aeons of life seemed to stretch be-
tween him and those dead days.
Here was the leafy shades Of Poets
Walk, where. as Sixth Form boy, he
had been privileged to take tea while
the youngsters were in school; a little
further ON was the ancient red
wall, mellow with time, which had
witnessed the struggles Of generations
in that barbarous game of football
played nowhere save at Eton.
How the faces Of boys came back in
to his recollection like forgotten
dreams. With half smile he mechan-
ically rubbed an ear (which had
once been injured in football scrim-
mage), as he explained to his awed |
young listeners the science of forcing |
the ball along the wall, with terrific |
scrubbings OF body and face against
the rough surface of the brick; and ON
an ancient elm he pointed out the
chalk marking indicating goal
"calx," in the slang of Eton.
From the cricket ground the three
strolled over toward the river, where
the foaming stream boiled swiftly
down from the weir above. stray
dog came barking and fawning TO the
two boys, inviting them to throw
stick into the water for him, and
Colonel Hope paced in abstraction up
and down beneath the immemorial
elms.
Never once since he left Eton to
study for the army had he revisited
the old school; and now, out Of the
surging crowd of memories two faces
shone clear and bright-Henry Rae
burn'sand Ethel Stuart's. Raeburn,had
been the friend. thalidol, of his early
youth, five year older than he, and
big boy at Eton when he was little
one.
Hope had tagged for Raeburn, who
had received the humble alteration of
the younger lad with an air of amused
patronage, which had, however, speed
lily turned into affection. So il was
that warm and genuine friendship
sprang into being, and the two boys
were constantly together. 1t was Rae
burn who first taught Hope TO handle
an oar; it was Hope who saved Rae
burns life when they we're upset from
a punt in the swollen river, and Rae
burn was entangled in the ropy weeds.
When Raeburn left Eton Hope be-
came constant visitor at his fathers
house; and when it was Hopes turn
to leave school and begin his studies
for the army there came no change in {
to their old friendship until-The
Woman appeared upon the scene.
How well Hope remembered now
the first day he had seen Ethel Stuart
one Fourth of July at Etonl Only 1
a young girl, scarcely older than he,
but already radiant and bewitchinq !
beauty, with all the piquant charm Of I
a matured coquette. She was dis !
tant cousin Of Raeburn and so it was
that. when he had said farewell to |
Eton, she did not 60 out Of his life. II
She Was his boyish ideal Of lowell
ness, and, though in the beginning he |
had not dared dream that she might be {
to him save distant star to (
worship her manner afterwards led him 4
to hope. How the look in ber eyes 4
came back to him to-day-the soft
pressure of her hand for good-bye-the
Thousand and one sweet nothings that |
had made fool Of him. II
He knew that Raeburn's parents and ,
hers wished for : match between the