s the doctor who
had long attended the family at the Orangery.

"I am glad you are here, Dr. Mapleston; for I want your opinion before I
move Vincent. Have you seen him?"

"No, Mrs. Wingfield; I did not know he was here. I have charge of one of
the wards, and have not had time to see who are in the others. I
sincerely hope Vincent is not seriously hurt."

"That's what I want to find out, doctor. His boy brought us news late
last night that he was here. He said the doctors considered that he was
not in any danger; but as he had three ribs broken, and a deep flesh
wound from the explosion of a shell, it seems to me that it must be
serious."

"I will go up and see him at once, Mrs. Wingfield, and find out from the
surgeon in charge of his ward exactly what is the matter with him." Dan
led the way to the bed upon which Vincent was lying. He was only dozing,
and opened his eyes as they came up.

"My poor boy!" Mrs. Wingfield said, struggling with her tears at the
sight of his pale face, "this is sad indeed."

"It is nothing very bad, mother," Vincent replied cheerfully; "nothing
at all to fret about. The wound is nothing to the injuries of most of
those here. I suppose, doctor, I can be moved at once?"

Dr. Mapleston felt his pulse.

"You are feverish, Vincent; but perhaps the best thing for you would be
to get you home while you can be moved. You will do far better there
than here. But I must speak to the surgeon in charge of you first, and
hear what he says."

"Yes, I think you can move him," the surgeon of the ward said. "He has
got a nasty wound, and the ticket with him said that three ribs were
badly fractured; but I made no examination, as he said he would be
fetched the first thing this morning. I only put on a fresh dressing and
bandaged it. The sooner you get him off the better, if he is to be
moved. Fever is setting in, and he will probably be wandering by this
evening. He will have a much better chance at home, with cool rooms and
quiet and careful nursing, than he can have here; though there would be
no lack of either comforts or nurses, for half the ladies in the town
have volunteered for the work, and we have offers of all the medical
comforts that could be required were the list of wounded ten times as
large as it is."

A stretcher was brought in, and Vincent was lifted as gently as possible
upon it. Then he was carried down stairs and the stretcher placed in the
carriage; which was a large open o