Page:Doctor Syn - A Smuggler Tale of the Romney Marsh.djvu/284

 in all manners of deportment. I never trust dandies myself entirely."

"Oh, Madam, pray, pray, make me the exception."

"No, Captain, for you are not only a dandy, but a soldier, and soldiers are another class I distrust."

"Ah, Madam," lisped the officer, "you are cruelty itself."

"I cannot help it, my dear sir. Soldiers are not to be trusted, and well you know it. They walk about with gay apparel, appearing the most gentle of creatures, but we know how dangerous they are, aye, dangerous both morally and physically, with their minds full of most terrible conquests planned against poor women, and their pockets stuffed to the bursting point with explosives and weapons."

"La, Madam, you are mistaken, upon my soul. Take my case now as an example: I came here, I confess it, with thoughts of conquest in my mind, but I am conquered, I am vanquished, I am beaten most damnably myself. The eyes of your niece have sown my very foundations with salt."

"Indeed, sir, that's bitter!" exclaimed Imogene, blushing.

"And as to the belief that soldiers—officers, that is—are loaded with explosives and weapons, why, pish! Madam, it is a fallacy, I assure you. We leave explosives to the sergeants and our weapons to our orderlies. It is not only most damnably dangerous to carry