said, "don't lie to me. Now, I'm talking to you
as your chaplain. Tell me the truth. Have you heard of the battalion
going in to-morrow?"

Under Barry's eye Monroe began to squirm.

"Well, sir, to tell you the truth, I did hear a rumour of that kind."

"And you?" said Barry, turning upon the signaller, "tell me the truth."

"Well, sir, it's just as I said. We had it over the wires. The battalion
is going in."

"Very well, get my stuff, Monroe," said Barry, quietly. "I'm going
back."

"I beg your pardon, sir."

"Do you hear me? Get my stuff; I'm not going out to-night." Barry's tone
admitted no further talk, and Monroe, swearing deeply at his friend the
signaller and at his own stupidity, and especially at his own "lack
of nerve to see his lie through," hunted out Barry's baggage and stood
ready for his officer to return.

"Hello, Dunbar," said the major, as he saw Barry about to mount his
horse. "What's up? Forgotten something? You'll surely miss your train."

"I'm not going," said Barry briefly, getting himself settled in his
saddle.

"Not going!" exclaimed the major. "What do you mean? I thought you were
on leave."

"Changed my mind," said Barry cheerfully.

"I say, old man," said the major, "there may be nothing in what I told
you about the push. Anyway, you know we cannot postpone our leave until
all the fighting is over."

"Oh, that's all right," replied Barry. "There are lots of you combatant
chaps in a battalion, but there is only one chaplain."

"Oh, hang it all," cried the major, "take your leave. Well," seeing that
Barry paid no heed to his advice, "the best of luck, old man," he said,
offering his hand. "I guess you're all right after all."

The exhilaration that had sustained Barry during the evening suddenly
fled, leaving him flat in spirit and limp in body. What he wanted most
of all was sleep, and morning was not so far away. He rode back to his
hut, and, bidding Monroe let him sleep all day, he tumbled into bed and
knew nothing until late in the afternoon. Monroe, too, had slept in,
and, after rising, had been busy about the hut, so that he had no
further information as to the battalion's movements. The chaplain's hut
was some distance from Headquarters and from the battalion camp. Hence
it came that while Barry was writing hard at his letters throughout
the remainder of the afternoon, he was quite unaware of what was taking
place. Monroe, however, returned about six o'clock to say tha