would allow. As she bent anxiously over me her face was so in shadow
that I could distinguish nothing of its features.

"What is it? Are you indeed severely hurt?"

"Not seriously, I think, yet I have lost some blood, and am in great
pain. There is brandy in the inner pocket of my jacket, but I am unable
to move my arm in order to reach it. Would you endeavor to draw the
flask out?"

I felt her bend over me, her soft breath coming almost in sobs upon my
face, as with trembling fingers she undid the buttons of my trooper's
jacket and extracted the small flat flask I had been thoughtful enough
to store away there.

The fiery liquid seemed to put new blood into my veins, and with it
there returned all my old-time audacity, with that intense hopefulness
in which I had been trained by years of war and self-reliance.

"Ah! now I feel I am myself once more," I exclaimed cheerily. "Things
are surely not so bad after all. At least we have a roof over our
heads, and another day in which to live."

I felt her shudder.

"Oh, please do not make light of it," she whispered. "It is so like
some horrid dream, and I am trembling yet." I put my hand upon hers,
and it was not withdrawn.

"I trust you realize," I said, "that I am neither thoughtless nor