had for him
developed into the affection of a kinsman.

"If you could see my wife and talk with her," continued Lawrence,
recovering himself a little. "I can't urge her to leave me, but I
think in common justice to her somebody ought to put the thing before
her."

"Certainly," replied Broussard.

He was turning things rapidly in his mind. It would never do, after
the Colonel's warning, to go to Lawrence's quarters, and he said so.

"It would look as if I had called for a farewell visit to your wife,
when I haven't time to pay any calls except to the C. O.," said
Broussard, after a moment. "But I will see the Colonel in the morning
and try to arrange, through him, an interview with your wife."

"But don't, for God's sake, tell who I am," cried Lawrence. "Don't
tell it, for the sake of our mother's memory. It isn't necessary."

"No, it is not necessary," replied Broussard. He was full of brotherly
pity for Lawrence, his respect and sympathy for Mrs. Lawrence suddenly
changed into the love of a brother for a sister, and the little boy
became dear to him in the twinkling of an eye.

A silence fell between the two men, which was broken by Broussard.

"Couldn't you get a discharge from the army?"

"No," answered Lawrence, "there are too many black marks against
me--not enough to turn me out, but enough to keep me in. However, I've
kept soberer and acted straighter since I've been an enlisted man than
for a long time past; the non-coms. know how to handle men like me.
And I'm a good aviator, and they want to keep me."

"At all events," said Broussard, taking Lawrence's hand, "I'll look out
for your wife and child. The boy shall have his chance--he shall have
his chance, the jolly little chap!"

Then, standing up, the two men embraced as brothers do, and felt their
mother's tender spirit hovering over them.

The next morning, while Colonel Fortescue was at breakfast, a note was
handed to him by Broussard's soldier attendant. It read:

"Last night I had a visit from Lawrence. He has a great affection for
his wife and child, and wanted me to talk with his wife about a family
matter in which he feels he can not advise her. Can you kindly suggest
some way by which I may have a private talk of a few minutes with Mrs.
Lawrence?"

Colonel Fortescue scribbled on the back of the note:

"Come to my office in my house at ten o'clock and I will have Mrs.
Lawrence here."

Broussard felt a little chagrined when