"
But even while he spoke the Corporal came to say that Mrs. Mugford was
come, and begged to be allowed to see her Ladyship. So in the poor
thing came, crying her eyes out, to confess that her son in the stable
was the true deserter, and to beg her Ladyship to have mercy and not to
yield him up, giving such an account of the punishment that awaited him
as nearly turned Lady Eleanor sick; for those were rough days in the
army.
Colonel George meanwhile stood by without uttering a word; and when
Mrs. Mugford had crawled from the room, utterly broken down, and Lady
Eleanor turned to him with tears in her eyes, too much moved to speak,
he only shook his head.
"The fellow must be given up and sent back to his corps," he said. "He
has already got an innocent man into trouble, and even if he had not I
am bound in duty to send him back."
"Could you not do something to intercede for him and save him from this
horrible punishment?" asked Lady Eleanor. "I should be so thankful if
you would."
Colonel George hesitated. "I have no wish to harm the poor wretch," he
said, "but there are other men in the same case, very likely less
guilty, who have no one to intercede for them. It is a question of
discipline."
"Oh, don't be so hard," pleaded Lady Eleanor, "you who are always so
gentle. You, who have done so much for me, grant me this one little
thing more.
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