ns examined his wounds.

A messenger was despatched for Mrs Willders, and Willie remained to
watch beside him while his comrades went out to continue the fight.

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.

THE LAST.

For many months Frank Willders lay upon his bed unable to move, and
scarcely able to speak. His left leg and arm had been broken, his face
and hands were burned and cut, and his once stalwart form was reduced to
a mere wreck.

During that long and weary time of suffering he had two nurses who never
left him--who relieved each other day and night; smoothed his pillow and
read to him words of comfort from God's blessed book. These were, his
own mother and Emma Ward.

For many weeks his life seemed to waver in the balance, but at last he
began to mend. His frame, however, had been so shattered that the
doctors held out little hope of his ever being anything better than a
helpless cripple, so, one day, he said to Emma:

"I have been thinking, Emma, of our engagement." He paused and spoke
sadly--as if with great difficulty.

"And I have made up my mind," he continued, "to release you."

"Frank!" exclaimed Emma.

"Yes, dear. No one can possibly understand what it costs me to say
this, but it would be the worst kind of selfishness were I to ask you to
marry a poor wretched cripple like me."

"But what if I refuse to be released, Frank?" said Emma, with a smile;
"you may, indeed, be a cripple, but you shall not be a wretched one if
it is in my power to make you happy; and as to your being poor--what of
that? I knew you were not rich when I accepted you, and you know I have
a very, very small fortune of my own which will at least enable us to
exist until you are able to work again."

Frank looked at her in surprise, for he had not used the word _poor_
with reference to money.

"Has mother, then, not told you anything about my circumstances of
late?" he asked.

"No, nothing; what could she tell me that I do not already know?" said
Emma.

Frank made no reply for a few moments, then he said with a sad yet
gratified smile--

"So you refuse to be released?"

"Yes, Frank, unless you _insist_ on it," replied Emma.

Again the invalid relapsed into silence and shut his eyes. Gradually he
fell into a quiet slumber, from which, about two hours later, he awoke
with a start under the impression that he had omitted to say something.
Looking up he found that his mother had taken Emma's place. He at once
asked why s