here!"

"Yes, aunt, directly.--But, tell me quickly, is he very much hurt?"

"Very gravely, as far as I can tell after so slight an examination."

"He will not die?" she cried, with the tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I hope not. I will do my best to save him."

"Yes, yes; of course. But we must not waste time. Sir, he once saved
my life. Oh, pray, pray make haste!"

"Yes. Forward, my lads!"

"But where are you taking him?"

"To the nearest inn."

"Oh, no--no--no!" she cried. "He ought to be taken to where he will be
properly attended."

"Yes; but it is impossible for the men to carry him all the way to
Ratcham. If you would drive on and give notice at the barracks, they
would send their ambulance and take him at once to the hospital."

"The hospital?" said the girl piteously.

"What a fool I am!" thought the young doctor, whose sympathies were
aroused by this great display of interest; "I am throwing away an
interesting patient."

"Anna, my dear, this is very dreadful!" cried Miss Deane, senior. "Let
us drive on at once!"

"Yes, aunt dear--no, aunt dear! I know!" she cried excitedly. "The men
could lay that wooden thing upon the seats of the carriage, and he could
be driven gently right into the town."

"Anna!"

"Hush, aunt, pray!" cried the girl decisively. "Do you not see it is a
case of life and death? Now, doctor, move him at once! Aunt, come down
out of the carriage!"

Miss Deane, senior, uttered an indignant sob, and descended into the
dusty road. Then she not only made a virtue of necessity, but felt her
own sympathies aroused.

"I wish I were a soldier and had shot myself," thought the doctor, as he
directed the men, and had the hurdle carefully lifted into the
waggonette, where, with a little management, it rode securely enough,
while the girl watched every step of the proceedings, with her fingers
twitching as if she longed to help.

"But you?" said the doctor now.

"Oh, never mind us; we can walk," said Miss Deane; and her aunt
suppressed a groan.

"But it is a long distance," said the doctor.

"Don't talk of us when that poor lad may be dying," she cried. "You
must ride with him and watch him."

"Yes, and send my chaise back," said the doctor eagerly. "Or--one
moment; this would be better, if you would not mind riding on the box."

"Oh, pray, pray think of him!"

"I am thinking of him--and of you," said the doctor firmly. "We will
not waste time. Let m