in's flask. I simply
ask for what's my own----"

But the voice was suddenly hushed, for, springing to his feet, Mr.
Davies hurried to the door. "Who is this--who have you here?" he asked.
"You--you? Brannan!"

And then, as a slender, graceful, womanly shape came noiselessly in and
appeared by the lieutenant's side, quivering, shaking in an agony of
shame and misery and nervousness, the lonely patient threw himself over
towards the wall, and burying his distorted face in his arms, burst into
a passion of tears, the attendant meantime slinking out into the hall.

"Come back here, my man," ordered Davies, in low, stern voice, while
Miss Loomis, without one instant of hesitation, threw off her cloak,
drew a chair to the bedside, and laid her soft white hand upon the
tumbled head of the wretched boy. Unwillingly, sullenly, the man obeyed.

"You are Paine, of 'A' troop, are you not?"

"Yes, sir. And the captain's orders and the doctor's were that he
shouldn't have a drop."

"Never mind that. When did he get here? How did he come?"

[Illustration: "COME BACK HERE, MY MAN."

Page 180.]

"With the mail-carrier this morning, from the agency, sir, and he'd been
drinking on the way and got to going harder as soon as he reached the
post. The captain ordered him confined and the doctor sent him here. But
my orders was----"

"Never mind your orders. What I want to know is, who detailed you, and
when were you detailed for hospital duty?"

"The captain sent me over, sir, after Brannan was taken in, and he's
been begging like that for a drink for an hour back."

Meantime, with great sobs shaking his form, Brannan lay there saying no
articulate word. Miss Loomis gently drew an arm from underneath his
head. "Let me have your wrist, Brannan," she gently said. "You know your
old nurse of last summer, don't you?" And in another moment her
practised touch was on the sufferer's pulse. In silence Davies awaited
the result. Her eyes filled with grave anxiety as she counted the feeble
fluttering,--a mere shadow of the vigorous throb of a soldier's heart.
"This man ought not to be here--neglected," she murmured to Davies.
Then, rising, she turned to the attendant. "Go at once to Dr. Burroughs
and say that Miss Loomis asks him to come here as quick as he can."

And Private Paine concluded it best to go without further words. The
steward, returning to his post, was met at the steps by the young
contract surgeon coming over from his co