," he said, "for as you see my
right arm is useless, my collar-bone is broken, I believe, and my
shoulder-blade smashed. However, it might be worse."

She held a glass to his lips. As he drank a sudden thought struck her.

"Are you Arnold Dampierre?" she asked.

"That is certainly my name," he said, "though I cannot think how you
guess it."

"I have heard of you from a friend of mine, Cuthbert Harrington. Can you
tell me, sir, if he is hurt?"

"Then you must be Miss Brander. Yes, I am sorry to say he is hurt. I
don't know how badly," he went on hurriedly, as he saw the look of pain
in her face. "I did not see him until we were put in the wagon next to
each other, and he was not much up to talking, and in fact its motion
was too much for him and he fainted, but no doubt he will soon come
round. They are bringing him into the next bed. Perhaps it will be
better for you if you were to let one of the other nurses attend to him
until he comes round a bit."

But Mary shook her head silently. She had been trembling as she asked
the question, but she stood stiff and rigid as Cuthbert was brought up.
She gave one short gasp when she saw his face as they lowered the litter
to the ground. Then she hurried to the table on which the glasses were
standing, poured some brandy into a tumbler, and was turning when the
surgeon entered the tent. She put down the glass, hurried up to him, and
laid a fluttering hand on his arm.

"Come, Doctor; please come quickly."

A momentary flash of surprise crossed his face. However, he said nothing
but quickened his steps and stood by the pallet on to which Cuthbert had
just been lifted. A shade passed over his face; he put his hand on
Cuthbert's wrist, then knelt down and placed his ear over his heart.

"Is he dead?" Mary asked in a whisper, as he rose to his feet again.

"No, no, my dear, I hope he is worth many dead men yet; he has fainted
from the jolting of the wagon just as many others that you have seen
have done. Fetch that brandy you have just poured out. He is hard hit,"
and he pointed to a bloodstained patch in his shirt just above the
waistband of his trousers. "There is no doubt about that, but we shall
know more about it presently."

As she hurried off to fetch the brandy the doctor's lips tightened.

"It is fifty to one against him," he muttered, "still, I have seen men
live with similar wounds."

He took the glass from Mary's hands as she returned and poured a little
be