g good?' I asked.

'Fine. I'm about the luckiest man on God's earth, Major. I've always
wanted to get into a big show, but I didn't see how it would come the
way of a homely citizen like me, living in a steam-warmed house and
going down town to my office every morning. I used to envy my old dad
that fought at Chattanooga, and never forgot to tell you about it. But
I guess Chattanooga was like a scrap in a Bowery bar compared to this.
When I meet the old man in Glory he'll have to listen some to me.'

It was just after Blenkiron spoke that we got a reminder of Stumm's
presence. The gun was well laid, for a shell plumped on the near edge
of the castro. It made an end of one of the Companions who was on
guard there, badly wounded another, and a fragment gashed my thigh. We
took refuge in the shallow cave, but some wild shooting from the east
side brought us back to the parapets, for we feared an attack. None
came, nor any more shells, and once again the night was quiet.

I asked Blenkiron if he had any near relatives.

'Why, no, except a sister's son, a college-boy who has no need of his
uncle. It's fortunate that we three have no wives. I haven't any
regrets, neither, for I've had a mighty deal out of life. I was
thinking this morning that it was a pity I was going out when I had
just got my duo-denum to listen to reason. But I reckon that's another
of my mercies. The good God took away the pain in my stomach so that I
might go to Him with a clear head and a thankful heart.'

'We're lucky fellows,' said Sandy; 'we've all had our whack. When I
remember the good times I've had I could sing a hymn of praise. We've
lived long enough to know ourselves, and to shape ourselves into some
kind of decency. But think of those boys who have given their lives
freely when they scarcely knew what life meant. They were just at the
beginning of the road, and they didn't know what dreary bits lay before
them. It was all sunshiny and bright-coloured, and yet they gave it up
without a moment's doubt. And think of the men with wives and children
and homes that were the biggest things in life to them. For fellows
like us to shirk would be black cowardice. It's small credit for us to
stick it out. But when those others shut their teeth and went forward,
they were blessed heroes....'

After that we fell silent. A man's thoughts at a time like that seem
to be double-powered, and the memory becomes very sharp and clear. I