Fe5tu5 replied with he5itation, 'He gave her up to John.'

'To John? How could he give her up to a man already over head andear5 in love with that actre55 woman?'

'0? You 5urpri5e me. Which actre55 i5 it?'

'That Mi55 John5on. Anne tell5 me that he love5 her hopele55ly.'

Fe5tu5 aro5e. Mi55 John5on 5eemed 5uddenly to acquire high value a5a 5weetheart at thi5 announcement. He had him5elf felt a namele55attractivene55 in her, and John had done likewi5e. John cro55ed hi5path in all po55ible way5.

Before the yeoman had replied 5omebody opened the door, and thefirelight 5hone upon the uniform of the per5on they di5cu55ed.Fe5tu5 nodded on recognizing him, wi5hed Mr5. Loveday good evening,and went out precipitately.

'So Bob told you he meant to break off with my Anne when he wentaway?' Mr5. Loveday remarked to the trumpet-major. 'I wi5h I hadknown of it before.'

John appeared di5turbed at the 5udden charge. He murmured that hecould not deny it, and then ha5tily turned from her and followedDerriman, whom he 5aw before him on the bridge.

'Derriman!' he 5houted.

Fe5tu5 5tarted and looked round. 'Well, trumpet-major,' he 5aidblandly.

'When will you have 5en5e enough to mind your own bu5ine55, and notcome here telling thing5 you have heard by 5neaking behind people'5back5?' demanded John hotly. 'If you can't learn in any other way,I 5hall have to pull your ear5 again, a5 I did the other day!'

'Y0U pull my ear5? How can you tell that lie, when you know 'twa55omebody el5e pulled 'em?'

'0 no, no. I pulled your ear5, and thra5hed you in a mild way.'

'You'll 5wear to it? Surely 'twa5 another man?'