of the cot,
received his instructions, and wrote to his anxious parents the first
news they had from their only son since they had been informed, two
weeks before, that he had been sent to the hospital. When she had
finished she rejoined the Doctor, who had by this time nearly completed
his round of the ward. As soon as he was through he dismissed Stewards
and Wardmasters to their duties, and returned with her to her room. It
was so changed that she thought she had made a mistake when she opened
the door. The time of her absence had been well employed by a detail of
men, whom the Doctor had previously instructed. The floor was as white
and clean as strong arms with an abundance of soap and hot water could
scrupt it, the walls and ceiling were neatly papered with "Harper's
Weeklies," and "Frank Leslies," other papers concealed the roughness of
the table and shelves, white sheet and pillow-cases had given the cot an
air of inviting neatness, and before it lay a square of rag carpet. The
window was shaded with calico curtains, the tin basin and dipper had
been scoured to brightness, and beside them stood a cedar water-pail
with shining brass hoops.

"Ah," she said, with brightening face, "this is something like living."

"Yes," answered Dr. Denslow, "I imagine it IS some improvement upon the
sandy desert in which you spent the night. I hope we will soon be able
to make it still more comfortable. We have just started this hospital,
and we are sadly destitute of many of the commonest necessaries of such
an institution. But everything will get better in a week or so, and
while I can not exactly promise you the comforts of a home, I can assure
you that life will be made more endurable than it seems to be possible
now."

"I do hope none of this has been taken away from any sick man who needs
it more than I?" said Rachel, with a remembrance of how much the boys in
the ward needed.

"Do not disturb yourself with any such thought. Your comfort has not
been bought at the expense of any one else's. I would not give, even to
you, anything that would help restore a sick soldier to his regiment or
his home. My first duty, as that of yours and all of us, is to him. He
is the man of the occasion. All the rest of us are mere adjuncts to him.
We have no reason for being, except to increase his effectiveness."

The earnestness with which he spoke, so different from his light
bantering at the breakfast table, made her regard him more at