ecially
in the poor fellow's left arm. This may be temporary, and due to the
terrible shock of the wound; but it also may be consequent upon injury
to the nerves in connection with the spine. I can say no more. Time
only will show."

The two officers left the hospital-room, looking terribly depressed.

"Poor lad! poor lad!" the Major kept on saying. "Such a brave,
unassuming fellow. It's wonderful how little we realise how we like our
fellow-men, Colonel, till they are badly hurt. Hah! I am sorry--more
sorry than I can express."

The Colonel said nothing, but turned and held out his hand, which the
Major took and pressed warmly.

"Thank you, Graves," he said, taking out a showy silk handkerchief and
blowing his nose very hard, making it give forth sounds like those made
by a boy beginning to learn the bugle. "Hah!" he said; "one never
knows. Here to-day and gone to-morrow, Graves. May be our turn next."

"Yes," said the Colonel quietly: "but if it is in the way of duty, I
don't see that we need mind."

"Humph! Well, I don't know about that. I should like to live to a
hundred, if only for the sake of finding out what it feels like. Some
people do."

"Yes," said the Colonel, smiling; "and over a hundred; but then they
die."

"Yes, of course; but from old ago."

"And other things too, as the old epitaph says."

"What old epitaph?"

"On the venerable lady. The lines run something like this:--

"She lived strong and well to a hundred and ten,
And died by a fall from a cherry-tree then."

"Bah! don't talk about dying, Graves. Poor Bracy! Oh, the Doctor must
set him all right again. But this sort of thing does make one feel a
bit serious."

"It is very, very sad," said the Colonel.

"Yes, very. By the way, though, have you noticed how splendidly our
lads are behaving?"

"Magnificently, for such mere boys," said the Colonel meaningly.

"For such mere boys?" said the Major sharply. "I never saw men in any
regiment behave better. Why, sir, it was magnificent to-day. I didn't
say anything to Roberts about it, because I don't want the lads to hear
and get puffed up by pride. But, really, sir, I'm very proud of our
regiment."

"And so am I. But you have changed your ideas a little."

"Bah! Pooh! Nonsense! Don't jump on a man because he spoke out a bit.
You'll grant yourself that they are a very boyish-looking lot."

"Yes; but I do not judge them by appearances. I look at thei