of his heart regular. There is certainly a good
chance for him. My hopes that there is no vital injury are strengthened.
He will, I hope, sleep for hours, perhaps till morning. By that time I
may be able to give a more decided opinion. Now, I think you had better
be off at once. I can see you have recovered your nerve, but there will
be a dozen fresh nurses here in a few minutes, and I shall clear you all
out. Do you feel strong enough to walk home?"

"Oh, yes, Doctor, I may come in the first thing in the morning, mayn't
I?"

"Yes, if you feel equal to it. It is possible," he thought to himself,
as he went to the next marquee, "that the poor fellow only regards her
as a cousin, but I am greatly mistaken if she has not very much warmer
feelings towards him, though she did so stoutly declare that they were
but old friends."

Mary, putting on her bonnet and cloak, went out. As she did so, a man,
in the uniform of the Franc-tireurs, and a young woman approached.

"Pardon, mademoiselle," he said, lifting his cap as he came up to her,
"is it possible for friends to visit the wounded?"

Mary glanced at the speaker's companion and at once recognized her. It
was the face of which she had seen so many drawings in Cuthbert's
sketch-book.

"It is not possible to-day," she said, "except in extreme cases. There
have been many applicants, but they have all been refused."

"I fear this is an extreme case," Rene, for it was he, urged. "It is a
comrade of mine, and the surgeon told me after examining him that he was
hit very seriously. This lady is his fiancee."

"I know who you mean," Mary said, after a moment's silence, "but she
could not see him even if she were his wife. He is asleep now and
everything depends upon his sleep being unbroken."

"If I could only see him I would not wake him," the woman wailed, while
Rene asked--

"Can you tell us if there are any hopes for him?"

"The surgeon says there are some hopes," Mary said, coldly, "but that
everything depends upon his being kept perfectly quiet. However, I have
no power in the matter. I am off duty now, and you had better apply to
Mrs. Stanmore. She is in charge of the ward. It is the farthest of the
three marquees."

"What is that woman to him?" Minette exclaimed, passionately, as Mary
walked on. "She loves him or she hates him. I saw her look at me as you
spoke first, and her face changed. She knew me though I did not know
her."

"Oh, that is all fancy, Minet