widout fear, an' death's iron enters in aisy whip mortial strength's
behind it. But drames--I've had enough uv drames in me toime, I have
that, Coolin!" He shuddered a little. "What was it ye dramed again,
Coolin? Was there anything but the dramin'--anny noise, or sound, or
spakin'?"

Coolin lied freely, for to disturb William Connor was little enough
compensation for being held back at Suakim while the Berkshires and the
Sikhs were off for a scrimmage in the desert.

"Nothin' saw I wid open eye, an' nothin' heard," he answered; "but I
dramed twice that I saw ye lyin' wid y'r head on y'r arm and a hole in
y'r jacket. Thin I waked suddin', an' I felt a cold wind goin' over me--
three toimes; an' a hand was laid on me own face, an' it was cold an'
smooth-like the hand uv a Sikh, William Connor dear."

Connor suddenly caught Coolin's arm. "D'ye say that!" said he. "Shure,
I'll tell ye now why the chills rin down me back whin I hear uv y'r
drame. Thrue things are drames, as I'll prove to ye--as quare as
condinsation an' as thrue, Coolin; fer condinsation comes out uv nothin',
and so do drames.. . . There was Mary Haggarty, Coolin--ye'll not be
knowin' Mary Haggarty. It was mornin' an' evenin' an' the first day uv
the world where she were. That was Mary Haggarty. An' ivery shtep she
tuk had the spring uv the first sod of Adin. Shure no, ye didn't know
Mary Haggarty, an' ye niver will, Coolin, fer the sod she trod she's
lyin' under, an' she'll niver rise up no more."

"Fer choice I'll take the sod uv Erin to the sand uv the Soudan," said
Coolin.