him a great deal. His shoulder is hurt, and he tells me that it has not
been treated by a leech."

"Hurt?" cried Leoni, speaking quickly. "I did not know of this. Why
did you not tell me last night?"

"Oh, I didn't think," said Denis. "I had enough to do to sit my horse
and manage to get here; and," added the lad lightly, "I thought that it
would be better."

"Ah," said Master Leoni quietly, "let me see." And he looked at the boy
fixedly with that curious hard stare of the left eye which Denis never
could explain.

"Oh no; I'm nearly dressed now, and breakfast is waiting."

"How did this happen?" said Leoni, paying no heed to the lad's words.
"Sit still, boy, and tell me everything at once."

Denis gave a hurried narrative of his encounter, and his listeners
eagerly grasped every word.

"I see," said Leoni gravely. "Your blade must have passed through the
ruffian, and been held long enough by the muscles for you to receive a
horrible wrench. There, set your teeth, and if I hurt you try and bear
it. I will be as gentle as I can."

A rapid examination followed, and then the carefully educated fingers
ceased their task, and Leoni spoke again as he drew a white kerchief
from his pouch and gently wiped his patient's moistened brow.

"There is nothing wrong," he said, "but a bad strain at the tendons, and
of course the slightest touch gives great suffering. I will return
directly. I am only going to my room for something that will lull that
pain, and nature will do the rest."

He nodded gravely to both the lads, and passed quickly from the room,
while as the door closed the young Englishman said eagerly:

"I like him. He seems to know a deal. But you said that he was a
_maitre d'armes_."

"He's everything," said Denis with a faint laugh--"_chirurgien_,
statesman--oh, I can't tell you all. Oh, how he hurt me, though! If
you hadn't been here I believe I should have shrieked."

"Not you," cried the other. "I was watching, and I saw how you set your
teeth. Why, if he had pulled your arm off you wouldn't have said a
word. I say, I wish you were English."

"Why?" said Denis wonderingly.

"Oh, I don't know," said the other rather confusedly, "only I seem to
like a fellow who can act like that."

"Then because I am French you feel as if you couldn't like me?"

"That I don't!" replied the lad bluffly. "Because I do like you, and
I'm glad you've come. I say, can you shake hands?"

"Like the Eng