I went down to the gate, and, unbarring it, gave him my hand and
led the horse within the inclosure.
"Thou careful man!" he said, with a laugh, as he dismounted.
"Who else, think you, in this or any other hundred, now bars his
gate when the sun goes down?"
"It is my sunset gun," I answered briefly, fastening his horse as I
spoke.
He put his arm about my shoulder, for we were old friends, and
together we went up the green bank to the house, and, when I had
brought him a pipe, sat down side by side upon the doorstep.
"Of what were you dreaming?" he asked presently, when we had
made for ourselves a great cloud of smoke. "I called you twice."
"I was wishing for Dale's times and Dale's laws."
He laughed, and touched my knee with his hand, white and smooth
as a woman's, and with a green jewel upon the forefinger.
"Thou Mars incarnate!" he cried. "Thou first, last, and in the
meantime soldier! Why, what wilt thou do when thou gettest to
heaven? Make it too hot to hold thee? Or take out letters of marque
against the Enemy?"
"I am not there yet," I said dryly. "In the meantime I would like a
commission against - your relatives."
He laughed, then sighed, and, sinking his chin into his hand and
softly tapping his foot against the ground, fell into a reverie.
"I would your princess were alive," I said presently.
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