on from Saint-Cyr.

"Cheer up, my poor boy; have courage. You are in no danger; the doctors
will save your leg."

The captain's face wore an expression of resignation, as if he had
summoned up all his courage to bear his misfortune manfully.

"No, my dear Colonel; I feel it is all up with me, and I would rather
have it so. The only thing that distresses me is the waiting for the
inevitable end."

The bearers carried him away, and were fortunate enough to reach the
hedge in safety, behind which they trotted swiftly away with their
burden. The colonel's eyes followed them anxiously, and when he saw them
reach the clump of trees where the ambulance was stationed a look of
deep relief rose to his face.

"But you, Colonel," Maurice suddenly exclaimed, "you are wounded too!"

He had perceived blood dripping from the colonel's left boot. A
projectile of some description had carried away the heel of the
foot-covering and forced the steel shank into the flesh.

M. de Vineuil bent over his saddle and glanced unconcernedly at the
member, in which the sensation at that time must have been far from
pleasurable.

"Yes, yes," he replied, "it is a little remembrance that I received
a while ago. A mere scratch, that don't prevent me from sitting my
horse--" And he added, as he turned to resume his position to the rear
of his regiment: "As long as a man can stick on his horse he's all
right."

At last the two batteries of reserve artillery came up. Their arrival
was an immense relief to the anxiously expectant men, as if the guns
were to be a rampart of protection to them and at the same time demolish
the hostile batteries that were thundering against them from every side.
And then, too, it was in itself an exhilarating spectacle to see the
magnificent order they preserved as they came dashing up, each gun
followed by its caisson, the drivers seated on the near horse and
holding the off horse by the bridle, the cannoneers bolt upright on the
chests, the chiefs of detachment riding in their proper position on the
flank. Distances were preserved as accurately as if they were on parade,
and all the time they were tearing across the fields at headlong speed,
with the roar and crash of a hurricane.

Maurice, who had lain down again, arose and said to Jean in great
excitement:

"Look! over there on the left, that is Honore's battery. I can recognize
the men."

Jean gave him a back-handed blow that brought him down to his recumb