those who have so
misled you. There are some things I have been told that are past my
understanding, and that when you are well again I shall have to ask you
to explain. Now rest as well as you can. The doctor will come to you
just as soon as he returns to the post. Is there anything I can do to
help you?"

But Mira burst into a wail. She didn't wish to see anybody--anybody but
the doctor and Mrs. Darling. It was cruel, heartless, brutal on his part
to come in and taunt and torment her when she was so helpless and ill.
It was wicked to cut her off from the only friends she loved or who had
been kind to her. She would have died of loneliness and misery while he
was gone if it hadn't been for Mrs. Darling and for her friends. _His_
friends hadn't come near her,--hadn't done anything for her, and now he
was angry because, when she was neglected and scorned by them, others
like Mrs. Darling had been good and kind to her. Oh, why couldn't she go
home to her dear old father and the sisters who loved her, and weep her
heart out on her m-m-mother's grave? Davies sadly realized that neither
argument nor appeal would help matters. He heard the chaplain's ring at
the outer door, and went to him with sore-laden heart. Later the two
left the fair invalid to the care of the chaplain's wife and went in
search of Leonard. Boynton, still unable to walk about, was occupying
his old quarters next to the adjutant's, and, propped up in an
easy-chair near the window, caught sight of his comrade, the captor of
Red Dog, and eagerly beckoned him in. Davies had to go and shake hands,
though at the moment he wished that he might avoid almost everybody.

"Why, Parson, old boy, you can't stand that agency work. It's making an
old man of you now before half your time. You look ten years older. I
hope you're not ill."

"No, not ill; a little tired and worn perhaps," said Davies. "We were
just going in to see Leonard."

"Well, I wish you'd fetch him in here the first evening you can. There
are some things that I want to talk over with you two, things that
affect us both. Have you seen Differs?"

"No, not yet. I'll report to him at guard-mounting in the morning. The
regulations say the first orderly hour, don't they?"

"Yes,--but you'd better report your arrival to him the moment he comes
out of his house or else go to the office and do it. We've got a bone to
pick with him, Parson, and I don't want you to get into any outside
tangle. I'll be up