nt:

"Oh, for God's sake, Billy, get me something, or it'll kill me!"

"Hush, O'Grady," said the sergeant: "here's the officer of the day."

Mr. Billings took one look at the wan face only dimly visible in that
prison-light, for the poor little man shrank back as he recognized the
form of his lieutenant:

"Open that door, sergeant."

With alacrity the order was obeyed, and the heavy door swung back upon
its hinges.

"O'Grady," said the officer of the day, in a tone gentle as that he
would have employed in speaking to a woman, "come out here to me. I'm
afraid you are sick."

Shaking, trembling, twitching in every limb, with wild, dilated eyes and
almost palsied step, O'Grady came out.

"Look to him a moment, sergeant," said Mr. Billings, and, bending low,
he stepped into the cell. The atmosphere was stifling, and in another
instant he backed out into the hall-way. "Sergeant, was it by the
commanding officer's order that O'Grady was put in there?"

"No, sir; Captain Buxton's."

"See that he is not returned there during my tour, unless the orders
come from Major Stannard. Bring O'Grady into the prison-room."

Here in the purer air and brighter light he looked carefully over the
poor fellow, as the latter stood before him quivering from head to foot
and hiding his face in his shaking hands. Then the lieutenant took him
gently by the arm and led him to a bunk:

"O'Grady, man, lie down here. I'm going to get something that will help
you. Tell me one thing: how long had you been drinking before you were
confined?"

"About forty-eight hours, sir, off and on."

"How long since you ate anything?"

"I don't know, sir; not for two days, I think."

"Well, try and lie still. I'm coming back to you in a very few minutes."

And with that Mr. Billings strode from the room, leaving O'Grady, dazed,
wonder-stricken, gazing stupidly after him.

The lieutenant went straight to his quarters, took a goodly-sized goblet
from the painted pine sideboard, and with practised hand proceeded to
mix therein a beverage in which granulated sugar, Angostura bitters, and
a few drops of lime-juice entered as minor ingredients, and the coldest
of spring-water and a brimming measure of whiskey as constituents of
greater quality and quantity. Filling with this mixture a small
leather-covered flask, and stowing it away within the breast-pocket of
his blouse, he returned to the guard-house, musing as he went, "'If this
be treason,' said P