His
return, so much sooner than she had expected, had filled her
with a sudden joy, and raised in her a vague hope, that she
stood sadly in need of just then, poor child!
"So you see I have come back sooner than I expected, Madelon,"
said Graham, taking the little hands that were stretched out
to him so eagerly through the grating, "but I don't know what
you will say to me, for I shall not have time for the walk I
promised you, when I thought I should stay two or three days
in Liege. I must go away this afternoon, but I was determined
not to leave without wishing you good-bye."
"Go away this afternoon!" faltered Madelon, "then you are
going away quite--and I shall never see you again!"
"Yes, yes, some day, I hope," said Horace; "why, you don't
think I am going to forget you? My poor little Madelon, I am
sorry to have startled you, but I will explain how it is," and
then he told her how there was a great war going on, and he
had been called away to join his regiment which was ordered
out to the Crimea; "you know," he said smiling at her, "I told
you it would never do for you to come marching about with me,
and running the chance of being shot at.
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