d with the gauntlet upon his hand, and
the keen sword ready in case the foe should enter. Day by day the
fair sister, white and full of fear, knelt beside him, and tried to
be brave for his dear sake.

'At length the day of conflict came. The two in the high room saw
the banners of the wicked lord advancing, and the little brother
said valiantly, "I will defend you!"

'The struggle came on. Long and nobly did the knight and his men
strive to keep back the terrible lord, and many fell in court-yard
and hall. But at last the wicked lord and his followers triumphed,
and with shouts of victory strode to the turret-room.

'There knelt the maid, her golden head bowed beside her brother.
His left hand pressed her fair curls, but his right hand was ready
for its task. The lord bent to grasp the prize for which he had
fought, little heeding the crippled boy; but as his fingers were
about to close upon the girl's arm the keen slender sword was
raised in a hand made strong for the deed, and a desperate blow
fell upon the wrist of the lord, and his hand was nearly severed
from the arm. An awed silence followed the doughty deed. Then out
spoke the lord: "Let no man touch the pair. Of all warriors this
cripple is the greatest, because in his weakness he has dared all
things for love!"'

"So you see, G. W., the poor young stay-at-home was a soldier, too!"
said the Colonel. "I have always loved to remember the story. And now I
often think of the Boy up North defending his mother from loneliness and
foreboding--he is doing his share, G. W."

G. W.'s soft, big, brown eyes were fixed upon his Colonel's face. The
great hero-tales of legend and history were new to his empty childhood,
and this one thrilled him to his heart's core.

"Dat's a mighty fine story!" he mused. "When you was telling me dat
story, Colonel, it done seem as if nothing was mean in all de world; it
seems like every one was brave!"

"Never reckon out any honest service, old man," the Colonel went on;
"very little things count in this world, and oftentimes the weakest do
the greatest deeds. That little hero of long ago stretches forth a hand
to every child who tries to do his part!"

A gleam of admiration flashed into G. W.'s eyes. "Well, I 'low dat de
Boy up North is a bigger soldier dan I 'magined. I knowed from de fust I
done got to take care ob _you_, Colo