among the pines and built
a little blaze all by themselves, and there talked gravely over the
strange events of the summer now so fully set before them in those
volumes from Russell. All Wolf's wild infatuation. All Gleason's cunning
malice, and--ah! _De mortuis nil nisi bonum._ May God forgive him! All
Ray's loyal and devoted services, and his cruel suffering and wrongs.
What wonder was it that for days the regiment could talk of nothing but
Ray? What wonder that they could not fathom the secret of the tie that
made Stannard and Truscott inseparable now? What wonder that those two
officers obtained permission to ride forward a day's march and meet Ray
and his command, and that when they came upon him cantering gayly up
through Buffalo Gap, he hardly knew them, so gaunt, worn, and ragged
were they; they hardly knew him, so radiant was the halo of hope and
love around his once devil-may-care face; so earnest, so grave, yet so
joyous had become his once flippant, reckless mien. Yet, in their very
greeting, Ray well knew that deep and faithful as had been the old
trust, there was new born from the harsh ordeal of this strange, sad
summer a friendship firmer, deeper, than ever earthly menace could
shake--a trust and loyalty that was registered in heaven. Not one word
for hours was interchanged between Jack and Ray as to that scene in
which he carried to Grace the letter Gleason had stolen, or found.
Together, with Blake occasionally injecting his rattling comments, they
talked over all the sea of troubles through which he had passed, and
together they would have mourned it all anew but for Ray.

"No, major. No, Jack. I see well that it was all for the best. God knows
I have been ten times rewarded for anything I may have suffered then.
There was a lesson I _had_ to learn, and did learn: that there are
hundreds of people who think that when a man drinks at all there is no
crime that may not properly be lodged at his door. It _has_ been a hard
siege, but every hour has been inestimable in result and in reward."

But before they rolled in their blankets that night Truscott looked him
in the eyes one moment, then held out his hand.

"Is it necessary for me to say how I value what you did and bore for
Grace and me, Billy?"

"Not a word, Jack."

Then came the march to meet the regiment, the royal, ringing welcome, a
day devoted to lionizing Ray, greeting the new officers, choosing
horses, assigning recruits to companies, and