carefully pinned in an inner pocket of his coat. These last were all
addressed in the same handwriting, which was undoubtedly feminine, to
Andrew Denton. The card stated that Andrew Denton, private, was formerly
an insurance agent at Antwerp.

Doctor Gys had rather impatiently awaited the young man's return to
consciousness that he might complete his examination. He now devoted the
next half hour to a careful diagnosis of Denton's injuries. By this time
the patient was suffering intense pain and a hypodermic injection of
morphine was required to relieve him. When at last he was quietly
drowsing the doctor called Maud aside to give her instructions.

"Watch him carefully," said he, "and don't let him suffer. Keep up the
morphine."

"There is no hope, then?" she asked.

"Not the slightest. He may linger for days--even weeks, if we sustain
his strength--but recovery is impossible. That bit of shell tore a
horrible hole in the poor fellow and all we can do is keep him
comfortable until the end. Without the morphine he would not live twelve
hours."

"Shall I let him talk?"

"If he wishes to. His lungs are not involved, so it can do him no harm."

But Andrew Denton did not care to talk any more that day. He wanted to
think, and lay quietly until Beth came on duty. To her he gave a smile
and a word of thanks and again lapsed into thoughtful silence.

When Ajo brought the new consignment of wounded to the ship the doctors
and nurses found themselves pretty busy for a time. With wounds to dress
and one or two slight operations to perform, the afternoon passed
swiftly away. The old patients must not be neglected, either, so Captain
Carg said he would sit with the German and look after him, as he was
able to converse with the patient in his own tongue.

The German was resting easily to-day but proved as glum and
uncommunicative as ever. That did not worry the captain, who gave the
man a cigarette and, when it was nonchalantly accepted, lighted his own
pipe. Together they sat in silence and smoked, the German occupying an
easy chair and resting his leg upon a stool, for he had refused to lie
in a berth. Through the open window the dull boom of artillery could
constantly be heard. After an hour or so:

"A long fight," remarked the captain in German.

The other merely looked at him, contemplatively. Carg stared for five
minutes at the bandaged foot. Finally:

"Hard luck," said he.

This time the German nodded, looking