ore."

"Yes," said Derrick. He rose with an air of finality. His young face was
very stern. "He was probably attached to General Harford's division. He
found us in a fix, and he helped us out of it. He knew the land. We
didn't. He was the most splendid fighting-man I ever saw. He tried to
stick up for you, too--said you didn't know. That, of course, was a
mistake. You did know, and are not ashamed to own it."

"Not in the least," said Carlyon.

"The men couldn't have held out without him," Derrick continued. "After
I was hit, he stood by them. He only took himself off just before
morning came and you ventured to move to our assistance."

"He had no possible right to do it," observed Carlyon thoughtfully
ignoring the bitter ring of sarcasm in the boy's tone.

"Oh, none whatever," said Derrick. He spoke hastily, jerkily, as a man
not sure of himself. "No doubt his life was Government property, and he
had no right to risk it. Still he did it, and I am weak-minded enough to
be grateful. My own life may be worthless; at least, it was then. And I
would not have survived my Goorkhas. But he saved them, too. That, odd
as it may seem to you, made all the difference to me."

"Is your life more valuable now than it was a few months ago?" enquired
Carlyon, in a casual tone.

"Yes," said Derrick shorty.

"Has Averil accepted you?" Carlyon asked him point-blank.

"Yes," said Derrick again.

There was a momentary pause. Then: "Permit me to offer my
felicitations!" said Carlyon, through a haze of tobacco-smoke.

Derrick started as if stung. "I beg you won't do anything of the sort!"
he said with vehemence. "I don't want your good wishes. I would rather
be without them. I may be a hare-brained fool. I won't deny it. But as
for you--you are a blackguard--the worst sort of blackguard! I hope I
shall never speak to you again!"

Carlyon, lying back in his chair, neither stirred nor spoke. He looked
up at Derrick from beneath steady eyelids. But he offered him nothing in
return for his insulting words.

Derrick waited for seconds. Then patience and resolution alike failed
him. He swung round abruptly on his heel and walked out of the room.

As for Colonel Carlyon, he did not rise from his chair till he had
conscientiously finished his cigar. He had stuck to his principles. He
had not answered his critic. Incidentally he had borne more from that
critic than any man had ever before dared to offer him, more than he had
told Der