ounded in the rain of balls which was falling, when
with a sudden cry of pain he sank backward. A ball had struck his right
leg. His volunteers put him back into the sandpit, and no one thought
any more either of the colors or the wounded who lay out there under
the fire from the factory. At this moment too an adjutant brought the
command to retreat, which the remains of the wearied battalion slowly
began, to obey under the command of a sub-officer.

The captain, who could not be moved, was left in a peasant's hut in the
village of Messigny, but as Wilhelm's injury was only a flesh wound,
and he was merely exhausted from loss of blood, he was sent with the
others to Tonnerre, where he arrived the next day, after a journey of
great suffering.

The schoolhouse was turned into an infirmary, many of the rooms holding
nearly a hundred and twenty beds. Wilhelm was put into a little room,
which he shared with one French and two German officers. A Sister of
Mercy and a male volunteer nurse attended to the patients in this as
well as in the four neighboring rooms. Wilhelm exercised the same
influence here as he did everywhere, by the power of his pale thin
face, which had not lost all its beauty; by the sympathetic tones of
his voice, and above all by the nobility of his quiet, patient nature.
His fellow-sufferers were attracted to him as if he were a magnet. Some
occupants of the room gave up their cigars when they noticed that he
did not smoke. The Frenchman declared immediately that he was le
Prussien le plus charmant he had ever seen. The Sister took him to her
motherly heart, and the doctor was constantly at his bedside. He was
able to give him a great deal of attention without neglecting his duty,
as there were few very severe cases under his care, and no new ones
came in--Paris had surrendered and a truce was declared.

At first Wilhelm's wound was very bad. It had been carelessly bound up
at first, and in the long journey to the infirmary had been neglected,
but owing to antiseptic treatment the fever soon abated and then left
him entirely. He took such a particular fancy to the doctor that after
a few days they were like old friends, and knew everything about each
other.

Dr. Schrotter was an unusual type, both in appearance and character. Of
middle height, extraordinarily broad-shouldered, and with large strong
hands and feet, he gave the impression of having been intended for a
giant, whose growth had stopped befo