we could reasonably believe; but, as you had your man with you, we
could hardly suppose that misfortune had fallen upon both of you."

"The wound is a mere graze. I will tell you, after parade, what I
have been doing," Desmond said, "but you must nurse your curiosity
till you are dismissed."

A few minutes after Desmond reached his quarters, the surgeon came
in.

"I do not think that I have any need of your services, doctor. I
got a piece of plaster, and stuck it on two hours ago, and I have
no doubt that the wound will heal in a few days."

"However, I will, with your permission, take it off, Mr. Kennedy.
It is much better that the wound should be properly washed, and
some dressing applied to it. It will heal all the quicker, and you
are less likely to have an ugly scar.

"It is a pretty deep graze," he said, after he had carefully
removed the plaster. "An eighth of an inch farther, and it would
have made your teeth rattle. You had better keep quiet, today.
Tomorrow morning, if there is no sign of inflammation, I will take
off the dressing and bandage and put on a plaster--one a third of
the size that I took off will be sufficient; and as I will use a
pink plaster, it will not be very noticeable, if you go outside
the barracks.

"Where is your man? The colonel told me there were two patients.