ce.

"Who's there?" he called.

"Come in, for the love of God! I am dying here alone!" was the reply.

"Who are you?"

"Ed Norcross."

Will jumped from his horse. This was the man at whom he had fired. He
entered the cabin.

"What is the matter?" he asked.

"I was wounded by a bullet," moaned Norcross, "and my comrades deserted
me."

Will was now within range of the poor fellow lying on the floor.

"Will Cody!" he cried.

Will dropped on his knee beside the dying man, choking with the emotion
that the memory of long years of friendship had raised.

"My poor Ed!" he murmured. "And it was my bullet that struck you."

"It was in defense of your own life, Will," said Norcross. "God knows, I
don't blame you. Don't think too hard of me. I did everything I could
to save you. It was I who sent you warning. I hoped you might find some
other trail."

"I didn't shoot with the others," continued Norcross, after a short
silence. "They deserted me. They said they would send help back, but
they haven't."

Will filled the empty canteen lying on the floor, and rearranged the
blanket that served as a pillow; then he offered to dress the neglected
wound. But the gray of death was already upon the face of Norcross.

"Never mind, Will," he whispered; "it's not worth while. Just stay with
me till I die."

It was not a long vigil. Will sat beside his old friend, moistening his
pallid lips with water. In a very short time the end came. Will disposed
the stiffening limbs, crossing the hands over the heart, and with a last
backward look went out of the cabin.

It was his first experience in the bitterness and savagery of war, and
he set a grave and downcast face against the remainder of his journey.

As he neared Leavenworth he met the friend who had conveyed the dead
man's warning message, and to him he committed the task of bringing
home the body. His heaviness of spirit was scarcely mitigated by the
congratulations of the commander of Fort Leavenworth upon his pluck and
resources, which had saved both his life and the dispatches.

There followed another period of inaction, always irritating to a lad
of Will's restless temperament. Meantime, we at home were having our own
experiences.

We were rejoiced in great measure when sister Julia decided that we had
learned as much as might be hoped for in the country school, and
must thereafter attend the winter and spring terms of the school at
Leavenworth. The dresses she c