he major of the regiment--a
cynical, saturnine man, between whom and Captain Madwell there was a
natural antipathy which circumstances had nourished and strengthened to
an active animosity. But for the restraining influence of their mutual
relation to Caffal these two patriots would doubtless have endeavored to
deprive their country of each other's services.

At the opening of the battle that morning the regiment was performing
outpost duty a mile away from the main army. It was attacked and nearly
surrounded in the forest, but stubbornly held its ground. During a lull
in the fighting, Major Halcrow came to Captain Madwell. The two
exchanged formal salutes, and the major said: "Captain, the colonel
directs that you push your company to the head of this ravine and hold
your place there until recalled. I need hardly apprise you of the
dangerous character of the movement, but if you wish, you can, I
suppose, turn over the command to your first-lieutenant. I was not,
however, directed to authorize the substitution; it is merely a
suggestion of my own, unofficially made."

To this deadly insult Captain Madwell coolly replied:

"Sir, I invite you to accompany the movement. A mounted officer would be
a conspicuous mark, and I have long held the opinion that it would be
better if you were dead."

The art of repartee was cultivated in military circles as early as 1862.

A half-hour later Captain Madwell's company was driven from its position
at the head of the ravine, with a loss of one-third its number. Among
the fallen was Sergeant Halcrow. The regiment was soon afterward forced
back to the main line, and at the close of the battle was miles away.
The captain was now standing at the side of his subordinate and friend.

Sergeant Halcrow was mortally hurt. His clothing was deranged; it seemed
to have been violently torn apart, exposing the abdomen. Some of the
buttons of his jacket had been pulled off and lay on the ground beside
him and fragments of his other garments were strewn about. His leather
belt was parted and had apparently been dragged from beneath him as he
lay. There had been no great effusion of blood. The only visible wound
was a wide, ragged opening in the abdomen.

It was defiled with earth and dead leaves. Protruding from it was a loop
of small intestine. In all his experience Captain Madwell had not seen a
wound like this. He could neither conjecture how it was made nor explain
the attendant circumstanc