g his name by way of changing the subject.

"Gabriel," came the quick answer.

"Gabriel! What a beautiful name! Gabriel--what?"

"You couldn't say all of it if I tell you. It's Jewish."

[Illustration: "GABRIEL LOOKED UP IN DISDAIN."]

"Let me try. Perhaps I'll surprise you. Then I'll tell you mine. I have
a queer name, too."

"Tell yours first."

"All right. It's Blue Bonnet. Blue Bonnet Ashe."

The child laughed again; less loudly this time.

"It's pretty, though. I like it."

"Why do you like it?"

The eyes half closed for a moment, straying away from the soldiers.

"I don't know. Kind of makes me think of flowers."

"It _is_ the name of a flower," Blue Bonnet said, surprised at his
intuition. "A very pretty flower that grows down in Texas."

But Texas meant nothing to Gabriel. He was busy again, lining up his
soldiers for battle.

"They'll march this way," he said, half to himself--"and these this way.
Then they'll fight."

"Oh, I wouldn't let them fight, if I were you. Soldiers don't fight any
more--not here in America. This is a land of peace."

Gabriel looked up in disdain.

"Aw--quit yer kiddin'," he paid. "What's soldiers fer?"

Blue Bonnet was not ready with a reply. "You haven't told me your other
name," she said. "You took advantage of me. I told you mine."

"It ain't pretty! The kids call me Gaby. That's enough. Call me that."

"How old are you?"

"Nine--comin' next August."

"August? My birthday is in August; the twenty-first."

"That's mine, too!"

Blue Bonnet looked incredulous.

"Really?" she said. "Aren't you mistaken? Certain it's the
twenty-first?"

"Sure, I am. Ask her!"

He pointed to a nurse who had come to the foot of the bed.

"That's what he has always said," the nurse vouched.

"Well, we're sort of twins, aren't we, Gabriel? If I'm near Boston next
summer we'll have to celebrate, won't we?"

The boy nodded. The soldiers were ready to advance upon the enemy now.
Birthdays were of small importance.

"Come again some day," Gabriel called when Blue Bonnet took leave of
him. "And bring some soldier books with you."

"If you please," the nurse finished for him. "Miss Ashe won't come again
if you are not polite."

"If you please," the child repeated dutifully, and Blue Bonnet went back
to school, treasuring the look of gratitude that had shone from eyes
set like jewels in a wasted and world-old face; a face that belied claim
to childhood, and spoke only of