me also, as you can see; but after that I was on guard with my pistols,
and they had no more of me. There I lived, very warm and nice, for ten
days."

"Ten days!" I cried. "What did you eat?"

"Why, I ate the horse. It was what you call board and lodging to me.
But of course I have sense to eat the legs, and live in the body. There
were many dead about who had all their water bottles, so I had all I
could wish. And on the eleventh day there came a patrol of light
cavalry, and all was well."

It was by such chance chats as these--hardly worth repeating in
themselves--that there came light upon himself and his past. But the
day was coming when we should know all; and how it came I shall try now
to tell you.

The winter had been a dreary one, but with March came the first signs of
spring, and for a week on end we had sunshine and winds from the south.
On the 7th Jim Horscroft was to come back from Edinburgh; for though the
session ended with the 1st, his examination would take him a week.
Edie and I were out walking on the sea beach on the 6th, and I could
talk of nothing but my old friend--for, indeed, he was the only friend
of my own age that I had at that time. Edie was very silent, which was
a rare thing with her; but she listened smiling to all that I had to
say.

"Poor old Jim!" said she once or twice under her breath. "Poor old
Jim!"