,
and he gained strength almost as rapidly as he had lost it. The morning
after he had come to himself, Mrs. Conyers brought Claire in to see him.

"Here is a young lady who is very anxious to see how you are getting on,
Walter," she said cheerfully; "and, now you are going on so well, I shall
hand you over a good deal to her care, as some of the others want my
attention badly. You must not talk much, you know, else we shall be
having you getting feverish again."

So saying, she left the room.

Claire had stopped timidly near the door. The change which four days had
made in Walter's appearance shocked her, and she scarcely recognized, in
the pale drawn face, the youth who had burst in, sword in hand, to her
rescue on that terrible evening. The tears were running fast down her
cheeks, as she approached the couch.

"Why, what is the matter, Claire?" he asked. "You must not cry. I am all
right again now, and in a week shall be on horseback, I hope."

"Oh, Walter, what can I say?" she said. "To think that you should have
suffered so, for us!"

"There is nothing dreadful about it," he said, smiling. "A soldier must
expect to get wounded, sometimes, and a slash from a German sword is not
a serious matter. I am only too glad that I got it in your cause,
Claire--only too glad that I was able to be of service to you--and your
mother," he added in afterthought. "It makes me very happy, to think I
have been useful to you, only I would rather that you didn't say anything
more about it. I am quite content and happy, as it is, and, if it had
been my life, I would have gladly given it."

"I won't say any more, if you don't wish it," Claire said quietly, "but I
shall think of it, always.

"And now," she said, with an effort, "mamma said you were not to talk
much, and you look quite flushed already, so you must lie quiet, and I
will read to you, or work, if you like that better."

"I don't care which it is," Walter said, "so that I can look at you;" and
this time Claire's cheeks were a good deal redder than Walter's.

Mrs. Conyers returned in half an hour, and found Claire sitting working,
while Walter lay looking at her.

"I think, Claire, you had better take your work in the next room again,"
she said. "Walter looks flushed, and I don't think your visit has done
him any good. You have been talking too much."

"It has done me an immense deal of good, Mrs. Conyers," Walter protested;
while Claire exclaimed that they had ha