your officer, sir. You are a soldier, sworn to serve your country
and your Queen."

Gedge looked down at the speaker through the gloom, and saw him fumbling
beneath his sheepskin coat with his right hand. The next minute he had
drawn his revolver, and Gedge heard it click.

"You hear me, sir?" cried Bracy sternly.

"Yes, sir, I hear."

"Then obey your officer's orders."

"You ain't an officer now, sir; you're a patient waiting to be carried
to the rear, after going down in front."

"How dare you!" cried Bracy fiercely. "Obey my orders."

"They ain't your orders, and it ain't my dooty to obey a poor fellow as
has gone stick stark raving mad."

"Obey my orders, dog, or--"

"I won't!" cried Gedge passionately. "I'll be drummed out if I do."

"You dog!" roared Bracy, and the pistol clicked.

"Shoot me, then, for a dog," cried Gedge passionately, "and if I can
I'll try to lick yer hand, but I won't leave you now."

The pistol fell with a dull sound as Bracy sank back, and in that
terrible darkness and silence, amid the icy snow, a hoarse groan seemed
to tear its way from the young officer's breast.

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

A WILD IDEA.

How long that silence lasted neither could have afterwards said, but
after a time Bracy felt a couple of hands busy drawing the spare
_poshtin_ more about him. Then a face was placed close to his, and a
hand touched his forehead softly. "I'm not asleep, Gedge," he said.
"Ha!" sighed the lad, with a long drawn breath: "getting afraid, sir;
you lay so still."

"It's all over, my man," said Bracy wearily.

"No, no; don't say that, sir," cried Gedge. "I was obliged to--"

"Hush! I don't mean that. I only feel now that I can sleep."

"Yes, sir; do, sir. Have a good try."

"I cannot while I know that I have your coat."

"Oh, I don't mind, sir; and I've got to be sentry."

"We want no sentry here, my lad. Take the coat from under me."

"But--"

"Come, obey me now," said Bracy quietly. "Get close to me, then, and
cover it over us both."

"You mean that, sir?"

"Yes.--There, my lad, all men are equal at a time like this. I have
striven to the last, but Fate has been against me from the first. I
give up now."

"I didn't want to run against you, sir; but I was obliged."

"Yes, I suppose so."

"You wouldn't have gone and left me, sir?"

"I don't know," said Bracy slowly.

"I do, sir; I know you wouldn't."

"Let it rest, my lad, and we'll wait fo