the water and
herb tea, in reach of your arm. You're not cold, are you?"

"No, thank you," Ralph said, "and in spite of the sleep I have had,
I feel as if I could go off again till morning, comfortably."

"Be patient, if I am late," the woman said. "I will come as soon as
I can. If I am late, you will know that there are Germans about."

Ralph's idea of his capacity for sleep turned out correct. It was
still dark when he woke but, striking a match, he found that it was
nearly seven o'clock. He at once blew out the match, felt for the
apple water, took a drink, and then nestled down deep into the fur
coat.

"It will be getting light in another hour," he said to himself.
"It's awfully cold, too; but I am better off, here, than I should
be in the field. I hope she will be here soon; I want to know if
she has any news. Well, there is only an hour to lay awake," and,
almost as he murmured the words, Ralph dropped off again, and slept
until ten o'clock.

This time, he woke with the slight creaking which the trap door
made.

"How are you today, Monsieur le Capitaine?" his hostess said.

"I am getting on capitally, thanks to your care," Ralph said. "And
what have you there?"

"Your breakfast and some plaster. My husband started, yesterday
evening, to walk to the doctor, who lives twelve miles off. He told
him all about you; but the doctor would not come, himself. However,
he sent word that the wound was to be washed well, twice a day,
with warm water; and that a little lint is to be laid in it each
time, after the bathing and, when the inflammation ceases to look
angry, I am to draw the edges together as closely as I can, and
strap them together with these strips of plaster."

"It is very kind of your husband," Ralph said, "very kind. Did the
doctor say how long I should be, before I could be about again?"

"No," the woman said. "Jacques asked him, but he said that he could
not say without seeing the wound, and examining you. Jacques
described its position: coming down from the back of the head,
taking off just a little bit of the top of the ear, and then ending
on the cheekbone. He said that Monsieur le Capitaine must have a
head as thick as a wall, or it would have killed him."

Ralph smiled, and his hostess set to work to carry out her
instructions.

"Shall I take away your uniform and hide it away so that, in case
the enemy search and find you, they will have no proof against
you?"

"No, no," Ralph said;