the house was much more airy, and commodious, than that
in which Will was quartered, the colonel begged him so strongly to
move his quarters thither, until able to return to duty, that Will
agreed to do so; and was soon installed, with Yossouf in
attendance, in the colonel's quarters. He was greatly pleased with
the old officer, whose manner was most kind and courteous; and who,
from his long experience in India, was full of anecdotes and
information concerning the country.

Ten days after the struggle, the doctor told them that there was no
longer any occasion for his services. Their wounds were healing
favorably, and all fear of fever had passed. At the same time, it
would still be some time before either could take their arms from
their slings.

The following day, in honor of his convalescence, Colonel Ripon
invited several friends to dinner; among them General Burrows, and
Colonel Galbraith of the 66th. All had, of course, heard the
details of the attack on Colonel Ripon; and Will was congratulated,
warmly, upon the promptness that he had showed.

"Do you know, colonel," General Burrows said, as they were smoking
their cigars after dinner, "there is a wonderful likeness between
you and Lieutenant Gale. I should have taken you for father and
son, anywhere."

The other officers agreed with the remark.

The likeness was certainly strong. Both were men of six feet in
height. The colonel's hair and mustache were grizzled, and his face
bronzed with the sun of many Indian summers. He was thin and spare
of habit; but his shoulders were broad, and it was evident that, in
his youth, he must have possessed much of the muscular strength
which was apparent in Will's more rounded limbs. But it was in
their eyes that there was the greatest similarity. Both were gray,
and of nearly the same shade; both had a simple, straightforward,
and kindly expression; both were shaded by straight, and rather
heavy eyebrows.

The men looked at each other.

"I suppose he is like me," Colonel Ripon said; "still more like, I
fancy, what I remember myself, at his age; but curiously enough he
has--ever since I met him--been recalling some one else to my
mind;" and a shade passed over his face.

Seeing that Colonel Ripon was not disposed to talk further on the
subject, a fresh topic of conversation was started. There was news
that Ayoub Khan--the brother of Yakoob, who was governor at
Herat--was marching south, at the head of a large forc