dead earnest there could be no doubt. Phlegmatic and
conservative by nature, when he was once roused he was not easily
suppressed. Pen began to feel sorry for him.

"You're too hard on yourself," he said. "I think you did make a
mistake that day, so did I. But we were both kids, and in a way we
were irresponsible."

"Yes, I know. There's something in that, to be sure. But that doesn't
excuse me for letting the thing go as I got older and knew better, and
letting you bear all the blame and all the punishment, and never
lifting a finger to try to help you out. That was mean and
contemptible."

"Well, it's all over now, so forget it."

"But I haven't been able to forget it. I've thought of it night and
day for a year. A dozen times I've started to hunt you up and tell
you what I'm telling you to-night, and every time I've backed out. I
couldn't bear to face the music. And when I heard that they turned you
down when you tried to enlist in the Guard at Lowbridge, on account of
the old trouble, that capped the climax. I couldn't stand it any
longer; I felt that I had to shoulder my part of that burden somehow,
and that the very best way for me to do it was to go and fight; and if
I couldn't fight under my own flag, then to go and fight under the
next best flag, the Union Jack. I felt that after I'd had my baptism
of fire I'd have the face and courage to go to you and tell you what
I've been telling you now. But I'm glad it's over. My soul! I'm glad
it's over!"

He dropped into a chair by the table and rested his head on his open
hand as though the recital of his story had exhausted him. Pen stood
over him and laid a comforting arm about his shoulder.

"It's all right, old man!" he said. "You've done the fair thing, and a
great lot more. Now let's call quits and talk about something else.
When did you come up here?"

"Five days ago. I'm just getting into the swing."

"Well, you're exactly the right sort. I'm mighty glad you're here.
We'll fix it so we can be in the same company, and bunk together. What
do you say?"

"Splendid! if you're willing. Can it be done? I'm in company M of the
--th Battalion."

"I know of the same thing having been done since I've been here. We'll
try it on, anyway."

They did try it on, and three days later the transfer was made. After
that they were comrades indeed, occupying the same quarters, marching
shoulder to shoulder with each other in the ranks, sharing with each
other all th