ll spat
on the front of her dress. `Willyum Gedge,' she says, and then she
stops short with her lower lip dithering, and she couldn't say another
word, only stood shaking her head, while the boys cheered again. Think
Sergeant Gee meant it, sir, or was it only showing off?"

"He meant it, my lad. Gee has a great deal of harsh tyranny in his ways
of dealing with those under him; but a braver and more honest man never
joined the regiment."

"I'm glad o' that, sir," said Gedge. "Then, as he did mean it, why, of
course we're going to be friends."

"Ah, Sergeant, you here?" said Colonel Graves, entering Bracy's
quarters. "One moment before you go. I have mentioned you in my
despatch for displaying signal bravery in protecting your officer upon
two occasions."

"Me, sir? Oh, thanky, sir, but I--"

"Silence!--Bracy, my dear boy, I came to tell you that I have spoken so
of you that if they do not give you the Victoria Cross I shall say there
is something wrong."

"For me, sir?" cried Bracy, with his pale, thin face flushing faintly.
"Impossible, sir. Oh, I have not deserved all this!"

The Colonel's eyes did not look quite so bright as usual as he warmly
shook his young officer's hand.

"Let me be the best judge of that," he said. "You have always been one
of my smartest officers, and in this last dangerous expedition you
showed the will and did your utmost. It was fate that helped you in the
last extremity to perfect the deed."

The day came when the simple little much-prized decoration was pinned on
Captain Bracy's breast, and the motto never shone upon a truer heart.

"For Valour," he said softly as he looked down upon his breast. "Was it
really well deserved?"

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Fix Bay'nets, by George Manville Fenn

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIX BAY'NETS ***

***** This file should be named 27908.txt or 27908.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/2/7/9/0/27908/

Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England

Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.

Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules,
set forth in the General Te