osed of 50,000
French and 8000 Turks. As if by the hand of the Destroying Angel the
dread scourge spread through the camp, striking down men on every side,
irrespective of race, creed, or age. Hundreds died, and the hospitals
were filled to overflowing. As for the still hale and hearty, they went
about silently, and as if fearing to laugh or sing, for on all sides
their comrades were dying. Instead they stared moodily at one another
with wide-open eyes which seemed to ask: "How much longer will this
misery last? When will our turn come to fall victims to this dreadful
scourge--this terrifying sickness which strikes silently and unawares,
and yet so surely and so fatally that he upon whom its grip is fastened
can scarcely hope to see the light of another day?" Phil often asked
himself these questions.

"The doctor has called for volunteers to nurse the sick," he said one
morning as he sat in the tent and looked at his comrades, whose numbers
were already sadly diminished.

"What? Volunteers to nurse them with cholera!" exclaimed one in
awe-struck tones.

"Yes, to nurse the cholera patients."

"He'll never get any--never!" said the man moodily. "It's bad enough to
know it's here amongst us. But who's going to run against it if he's
able to keep away? It's like shooting yourself."

"There's risk certainly," remarked Phil calmly, "but the doctors take
it, and so do their orderlies; and after all, one must die some day.
Won't any of you fellows volunteer?"

No answer was returned, though Tony looked up at his friend with a
frightened, half-guilty face, and then, like his comrades, stared
moodily at the ground.

"Well, good-bye, in case!" said Phil shortly, and stepped out of the
tent.

"Here, what's this you're doing, Phil?" gasped Tony hurriedly, following
him, and looking searchingly at him as if to read his inmost thoughts.

"I'm going to help, Tony. The men are dying like flies, poor fellows!
and the hospital staff is simply overwhelmed. Volunteers are asked for,
and I'm one. At any other time I wouldn't dream of it, but now it's
different. Besides, this inaction is too trying, and I feel that I must
have something to occupy my thoughts."

"Don't say no more, mate, I'm with yer," Tony blurted out, flushing red
with shame and grasping his friend's hand. "It's just what a chap like
you would do, and I'm blowed if I don't come along too."

It was a desperate undertaking for Tony, for, like all u