e last months of companionship with
his battalion through the terrible experiences of war, had wrought into
the very fibre of his life a sense of unity with and responsibility for
his comrades. His every emotion of loss, of grief, of heart-sickness
carried with it the immediate suggestion and remembrance that his
comrades too were passing through a like experience, and this was his
salvation. Weary, sick, desolate as he felt himself in this hour, he
remembered that many of his comrades were as he, weary, and sick and
desolate. He wondered how the major's batman felt.

"Well, Monroe," he said with an attempt at a voice of cheer, "pretty
tough go this time."

"Yes, sir, very tough," said Monroe. "I lost my chum this time," he
added after a few moments' silence.

"Poor chap," said Barry. "I'm awfully sorry for you. It's hard to leave
a friend up there."

"It is that, sir," replied Monroe, and then he added hurriedly but with
hesitation, "and if you will pardon me, sir, we all know it's awful
tough for you. The boys all feel for you, sir, believe me."

The unexpected touch of sympathy was too much for Barry's self-control.
A rush of warm tears came to his eyes and choked his voice. For some
minutes he busied himself with his undressing, but Monroe continued
speaking.

"Yes, sir, the Wapiti bunch is getting pretty small. Corporal Thom was
with me--"

"Corporal Thom!" cried Barry. "Was Corporal Thom your chum?"

"Yes, sir, for six years we was on the Bar U. M. together. We was awful
close friends. He was a good chum."

"Corporal Thom!" exclaimed Barry again; "he was your chum! He was a
great friend of mine too. You have indeed suffered a great loss."

"He thought a lot of you, sir," said Monroe. "He has often talked to me
about you."

"But what a splendid death!" cried Barry. "Perfectly glorious!"

"I didn't hear, sir," said Monroe; "I came down three days ago, and only
heard that a bomb got him."

"Oh, splendid," said Barry. "Nothing finer in the war. Let me tell you
about it. There was an enemy raid coming up. The corporal had got wind
of it and called his men out. They rushed into the front line bay. Just
as they got there, eight or ten of them, a live bomb fell hissing among
them. They all rushed to one end of the bay, but the corporal kicked the
bomb to the other end, and then threw himself on top of it. He was blown
to pieces, but no one else was hurt."

During the recital of this tale, Monroe stood lo