d. His lids drooped heavily for a
moment through weakness. And then he looked up in her frightened face
with a reassuring smile as she gently pressed his head down upon the
pillow.

"What strict little mother," he murmured.

She shook her head and drew the counterpane closer about his neck,
carefully lightening the weight over his wounded shoulder. With soft
light touches she smoothed out the smallest wrinkle marring the comfort
of the narrow, bed. When this was done and he lay quiet again, she began
to talk quietly but brightly of other things, hoping to divert his
thoughts. She told him all the innocent gossip of the neighborhood. Most
of this had come to her from the Sisters, for she seldom saw any one
else. There was much to tell of their little charges, and particularly
of the three babies whom he and Father Orin had taken from the deserted,
plague-stricken cabin in the wilderness. She did not say that these
little ones had become her own special care, but caused his smile to
grow brighter by telling how like children the gentle Sisters themselves
were. She repeated what they had said of Tommy Dye's last visit. Their
serious, perplexed account of it was now unconsciously colored by her
own gentle, fine sense of humor which also came so close to pathos that
a lump rose in Paul Colbert's throat as he listened. He could see just
how poor Tommy Dye had looked, but his eyes grew dim while his lips
smiled. And now another and deeper shadow swiftly swept over his face.

"So even poor old Tommy Dye has gone to Tippecanoe. Everybody but me is
gone or going. I alone am left behind. And yet--even if this hadn't
happened--I must still have stood at my post," he said sadly.

Her hand fluttered down upon his like a startled dove. There was a
sudden radiance in her dark blue eyes. She barely breathed the next
words that she spoke:--

"Yes; you must have stayed, anyway. The doctor of the wilderness--the
healer everywhere--can never march with other soldiers. He can never go
shoulder to shoulder with cheering comrades at the roll of drums and the
blare of trumpets under waving banners--to seek glory on the
battle-field while all the world looks on and applauds. No--no--the
doctor of the wilderness--the healer everywhere--is a solitary soldier,
who must always go alone and silently to meet Death single-handed, and
struggle with him, day after day, and night after night, so long as he
may live, fighting ceaselessly for his own l