'm all right," said Barry. "The truth is, I've just been in there
with young Cameron. Rather a ghastly sight. Cameron's badly knocked up.
Can you do anything for him?"

"Sure thing," said the doctor cheerfully. "Stay right there where you
are. I'll bring you something in a moment or two. Now sit right there,
do you hear? Don't move."

In a few moments he returned, bringing hot coffee for them both.

"There," he said in a cheerful matter-of-fact voice, "drink that."

Barry gulped it down, Cameron taking his more slowly, and with evident
distaste. The doctor continued to converse with them in tones of
cheerful and, as Barry thought, of almost careless indifference.

"Now, I must leave you," said the doctor. "I see there's a case of shell
shock. We didn't know how to handle that for a while. The British R. A.
M. C. for some months declined to recognise it as requiring treatment at
all. You might care to look at this chap. Poor devil!"

Barry had been looking at the man ever since he had come into the room,
supported by two of his comrades. He was indeed an object of pity.
Of splendid physique, six feet and powerfully built, with the fine
intelligent face of an educated man, he stood there white, twitching in
every muscle, in a state of complete nerve-collapse.

Colonel Tait, who had been observing him keenly ever since his entering
the room, now approached him, greeted him with a cheerful "Hello!" took
him by the hand and felt his pulse.

"How are you, old chap? Feeling a little better than you were, aren't
you?"

"Yes--doc--tor. Rather--rotten--though--Be all right--to-morrow--"

"Sure you will! Still a little rest won't do you any harm. We'll send
you down for a couple of weeks, and then you will be fit enough to have
another go at the boche."

So saying he turned him over to an assistant, and went on with his work.
At this point Cameron, from whose eyes the look of horror had not yet
faded, leaned over to Barry and whispered:

"Let's get out of this. For Heaven's sake, this thing is getting me." He
glanced at Barry. "What, are you ill, too?"

"Ill," answered Barry between his clenched teeth. "Ill? No, why should
I be ill? Look at these boys. I see myself ill. By Jove!" he added under
his breath, "here's another shell shock. Sit down, Cameron!" His voice
took on a sterner tone. "Sit down. Don't be an ass!"

Once more Colonel Tait took in hand the shell-shock man. This second was
a stretcher case. The man