At such moments his face was full of mischievous fun. It was evident that the soldier was of a gay disposition and in his bachelor days had had many a frolic.

The silence of the garden was broken only by the fall to the ground of the over-ripe fruit and the hum of insects. It was early in September and the weather was beautiful. The extreme heat of the sun had abated, but the golden glow was still ample. In the sunlight rosy apples were glistening among the grey leaves in such numbers as to conceal the boughs. The branches of the plum-trees were bending under the weight of the fruit covered with greyish gum.

The least motion of the air was shown by the spider-webs hanging from the trees; they were swaying in a faint breeze that scarcely moved the leaves.

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