a moment ago
had gone into action with such a deadly whirl came limping back with
slashed traces and splintered wheels. With fascinated eyes the Rebel
officer watched from behind his wall, while everything, even his child,
was forgotten in the lust for victory. And so he did not hear the faint
voice behind him that cried out in an agony of thirst and pain.

"Water! Water! Help! Someone--give water!"

Virgie, with dilated eyes and heaving breast, crouched low as long as
she could and then gave up everything to the pitiful appeal ringing in
her ears. Quick as a flash, she sped away on bare feet over rocks and
sharp, pointed branches of fallen trees to the spring, where she caught
up a cup and filled it to the brim. Another swift rush and she reached
the fallen man in blue and had the cup at his lips, while her arm went
under his head to lift it.

"Virgie!" her father cried, frantic at the sight. With a great leap he
was at her side, forcing her down to the ground and covering her with
his body.

The trooper's head sank back and his eyes began to dull.

"May God bless ye, little one," he murmured. "Heaven--_Mary_--_!_" His
lips gave out one long, shuddering sigh. His body grew slack and his
chin fell. Trooper Harry O'Connell had fought his last fight--had
passed to his final review.

One look at the boyish face so suddenly gone gray and bloodless and Gary
caught Virgie up in his arms. "Come dear, you can't help him any more,"
and with a crouching run they were back once more in the shelter of the
wall.

And now the shriek of the shells and the whine of the bullets came
shriller than before. All around them the twigs were dropping, while the
acrid powder smoke rolled in through the trees and burnt their eyes and
throats. Again came men in blue retreating and among them an officer on
horseback, wheeling his animal madly around among them and shouting
encouragement as he tried to face them to the front. "Keep at it, men,"
Morrison was crying, half mad with rage. "One decent stand and we can
hold them. Give it to them hard. Stand, I tell you. _Stand!_"

All around him, however, men were falling and those who were left began
to waver. "Steady, men! Don't flinch," came the shout again. "Ah-hah,
you _would_, would you? _Coward!_"

Morrison's sword held flatwise, thudded down on the back of a man who
had flung away his gun. "Get back in the fight, you dog! Get back!"

He whipped out his revolver and pointed it till th