?"

"No. Good-by, Spruce; keep quiet."

"It's the bulliest town in the country, and the prettiest. And when G
company goes back--Oh, Lord, I won't be with 'em!"

The surgeon's hand on his shoulder prevented the movement which he would
have made, and he apologized; "I didn't mean to do that! Moving's so
bad. Tell you, I'd a time keeping the boys still; they _would_ turn when
they got a little off. Say, I got to talk, Major, something's broke
loose in me and I _got_ to talk. I don't want to, I just got to."

When the nurse came he was so light-headed as to have no control of his
words, yet quite able to recognize her and welcome her with an
apologetic politeness.

"I'd have had some lemonade for you if I'd been up myself, ma'am. We're
glad to see you. All the G boys are convalescing; most of 'em's gone. We
all come from the same city; it's an awful pretty town. I got a lot of
friends there that maybe don't take it in why I'm here 'stead of with my
regiment, with the old man. I got a good reason; only I can't remember
it now."

* * * * *

The captain's father stood outside the telegraph office in Spruce's
town. Beside him was the chairman of the relief committee.

"Too bad about that regular," said the chairman. "Spruce--isn't that his
name? One of the boys telegraphed he couldn't live through the day.
Better have him brought here for the funeral, I guess; he's been very
faithful. Young Danvers wanted to go right down to Florida; but he had a
relapse after he got home and he's flat on his back."

"I heard," said the captain's father; "I've just telegraphed, on my own
responsibility, for them to send him here. It won't make any difference
to him, poor fellow; but we owe it to him. I wish we could do something
that would help him, but I don't see anything."

"We have told them to spare no expense, and he's got plenty of money.
No, you have done everything. Well, good-by; remember me to the captain;
we're all proud of him."

The captain's father thanked him with rather an absent air. "I wish we
could do something for that fellow," he was thinking; "I don't suppose a
message to him would--when a fellow's dying, messages are nonsense--it's
a bit of sentiment--I don't care, I'll do it!" He turned and went back
into the office.

* * * * *

"I am afraid there is not a chance," said the doctor; "too bad, he was a
good fellow. Well, you can give him all th