cine, which he followed with half a glass more
wine.

"You will not feel it now," he said, kindly. "Here, Wilkins, keep an
eye upon him, will you, while I go back to the table? He is not to
leave until I have seen him again."

"Very good, sir," said a pale little man in spectacles, who was
evidently the leader of the band; and when the doctor went to his place,
leaving his patient seated at the side-table, feeling as if he were in a
dream, Wilkins carried out his orders with military precision; for,
every time a piece was played, he conducted in regular musical fashion,
flourishing a little ebony baton, and turning over the leaves of the
book before him on the stand, but never once glancing at the notes, his
eyes, glimmering through his glasses, being fixed upon the lad, to whom
the scene appeared more dreamlike than ever, and his head grew confused,
with familiar airs buzzing in one ear and the loud conversation in the
other.

And this went on till the last piece upon the band programme of the
evening had been finished amid thin clouds of smoke. Then the men began
to place their instruments in their cases and green baize bags, after
the different brass crooks had been drained and blown through, while a
boy gathered together the music; and Richard started out of his dream,
feeling better, and knowing that he must go.

At that moment he became conscious that the bandmaster was standing
stiffly close by, still keeping an eye upon him, and removing his
military cap, revealing a shiny billiard-ball-like head, which he began
to polish softly with a silk handkerchief.

Richard, in his nervous state, felt worried and annoyed by this
persistent gaze; but he bore it till he could bear it no longer, for the
man stared as if he were some street beggar he had to watch for fear of
his meddling with the plate.

"I beg your pardon--" began the lad; but he was interrupted by steps
behind him, and the doctor cried--

"Well, sir--better?"

Richard started up and faced round, to find that the keen eyes of the
colonel were also fixed upon him, looking as if their owner was waiting
to hear what he said.

"Yes, sir; I'm better now," said the lad, hurriedly. "I am sorry to
have been so much trouble."

"Who are you?--what's your name?" said the colonel, sharply.

"Smithson--Dick Smithson, sir," said the lad, feeling the blood come
hotly into his cheeks as he spoke; and his face grew hotter, for he
could see at a glance that