THE HUSSAR OF CANTERBURY.

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CHAPTER I.

DISMAL November day, and a thick white mist

hanging over the square of the Royal Cavalry Barracks, Canterbury. A mist that not only obscured the vision,-rendering objects a little distance off blurred, indistinct, and almost supernatural in appearance, but also soaked the wayfarer to the skin before he became aware that any real inconvenience was to be apprehended from the moisture in the atmosphere.

A day most depressing to all, both in-doors and out-doors; a day when men were possessed with sad thoughts, sad forebodings, which would not be exorcised; a day when catarrhs, rheumatisms, and aguish colds seemed to rule triumphant over all healthier influences of our generally equable climate; a day that Frenchmen would, in more ignorant times, have selected as one on which hundreds of our fellow-countrymen were apt to rush to the Monument or London Bridge, with a view to commit the final crime of all, suicide; and a day that as surely bears men's thoughts earthwards as does a brilliant spring morning send their aspira

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tions soaring up to a seventh heaven of reverence, delight, and hope.

On such a day, Charley Greydon, trumpeter in the 30th Hussars, came clanking over the wet stones and rain-soaked gravel of the barrack-yard, with the black fiend of despondency weighing down his soul. He had been all day long on duty as orderly trumpeter, and never once had the physical clouds risen from the earth any more than had the mental gloom lifted from off his mind. He was wet and cold in spite of his great military cloak that covered him from head to foot. He was hungry, although there was plenty for him to eat if he only had the heart to partake of it; and he was greatly troubled in his mind about a foolish matter that had occurred to him the previous night in his barrack-room. For some time past, he had not been at all well; the regimental surgeon assured him that his malady was nothing but a very common one to youths of his age, arising from too fast a growth, and absolutely without danger, provided due attention was paid to diet and things of that sort; nevertheless, he admitted Greydon into hospital for a brief period, and then discharged him after a course of medicines of a mild nature.

Accordingly he had spent the night previous to the day of which I write in the same bedroom as his

comrades; but, unfortunately, he did not by any means believe himself cured, and as he was for duty on the following morning, these two items combined to make him restless and very uncomfortable. For a long time he did not sleep; and when eventually slumber did visit his pillow, it was unattended with that mental rest which is so necessary.

He dreamed that he was at home once more in his father's cottage in a Somerset village; that he was in bed very ill and attended by his mother, who had also summoned a 'wise woman'-for Mrs. Greydon was ignorant enough to put the firmest faith in all the superstitions prevailing in her district-to aid with her advice and nostrums; that he was informed there was very little chance of his recovery. And then his vision suddenly changed: his mother and her gossip disappeared, and their places were occupied by two young girls of the hamlet, with whose appearance he was perfectly familiar, although his acquaintance with them was very limited. By degrees the scene altered as in a dissolving view. The room he lay in gradually assumed the proportions and appearance of his parish church; the clergyman stood at the rail, book in hand; friends and relations crowded round, and, at the end of all, he found himself married to one of the maidens who had so recently stood to nurse him at his bedside.

Just when this consummation had been attained, reveillée was sounded in the yard below, and Charley Greydon woke up with a start to find himself in a cold perspiration of fear. Now it must not be supposed that Greydon was anything of a coward (Blunt who knew him well said he considered the exact contrary to be the case from many things he had witnessed, both before and afterwards, in the lad's general bearing) so far as mere worldly matters were concerned, but when anything of what Charley regarded as of a spiritual or supernatural complexion had to be dealt with, he was one of the most chicken-hearted youngsters in existence.

In his part of the country-a secluded and backward tract lying close to the Mendip Hills-omens, charms, dreams, philtres, witchcraft, and all manner of superstitions, were fully believed in. His mother was one of the great apostles (if it be not desecration to use such a term) of dæmonology of all kinds; Charley himself had been carefully trained in all her old-world notions, and, therefore, it is small wonder that his dream of having, when sick (as he considered he was), married a maiden who was one of twins should have thrown him into a perspiration of fright; for, as is well known to all who are learned in this sort of ill lore, such a vision could portend nothing but a

gradual wasting until death should put an end to his

career.

Hulloa, Charley; what's amiss with you, lad? Why you look as if you were cast for a court-martial tomorrow with every chance of being shot!" called out one of his comrades of the guard, Mat Long by name, when Greydon entered after having sounded the call for afternoon "stables."

Law, he has bin like that all day," put in Bill Hewitt; "hasn't had a word to fling to a dog; and done nothing but sit over the fire, seeing Old Scratch in the cinders."

"I'm not well," was the reply; "old Pillbox sent me out of hospital one of his failures, I think;" and the young trumpeter crouched again over the fire with a shiver.

"I don't think you are well, Greydon," said Sergeant Benham, who was in command of the guard; “and if you like I'll send you sick again, and have the next for duty in your place."

"No, no, Sergeant; I couldn't go back after being discharged only yesterday; perhaps I shall be better after I've had a drop of tea Mother Greatly promised to bring over."

"Oh, that's the game, is it?" asked a sneering fellow, who was strutting up and down the guard