looked very beautiful, lying there. His complexion, always as
flawless as a little child's, had assumed a new waxen loveliness,
no touch of colour varying its pale and delicate brown. And his eyes
were brilliant.

"Well--we did in the old gun, Rupert, that killed--Jimmy Doon--and
Major Hardy.... The _Rangoon_ proved too strong for it, after all!"

How characteristic of our dear, dramatic Doe his words were!

"Yes," I said, and could think of nothing more to say.

He moved his body slightly, and I, cudgelling my mind for some
remark, asked:

"Were you hurt much?"

"I was wounded--in the shoulder--and then hit four times, after
I--the doctor seems to think it's pretty bad--but oh, it's nothing."

As he spoke I could see that he was rather pleased with the
picturesqueness of being "Dangerously Wounded," and that, while he
wished to inform us how interesting he had become, he wished also to
appear to be stoically making light of his pain. And I loved him for
being the same self-conscious heroic character up to the last.

The brilliant eyes sought out Monty, who was standing just behind
me. Doe gazed at him, and, after a thoughtful pause, laughed
nervously.

"I wonder if I shall be--here--to-morrow, when you come. I dare say
I shan't."

Again I saw the thought behind his words. Probably my love for him
was blazing up, in these farewell moments, brighter than it had ever
been, and illuminating all things. I saw that he wanted to live, but
feared he was going to die. I saw that he had gambled everything
upon his last remark, and was waiting to see if he would draw life
or death.

Had he said it to me I should have answered hurriedly: "Of course
you will," but Monty was cast in more courageous metal. Boldly he
seized this moment to convey the truth. He offered no denial to
Doe's daring suggestion that the end was near: instead, he laid his
hand very gently on the boy's wrist, as if to tell him that he
wished to help him through with a difficult thought.

Throughout my life, till someone shall tell me that my time has
come, I shall remember Doe's look when he saw that Monty was not
going to dispute his statement. His wide eyes stared inquiringly.
Then they filmed over with a slight moisture, for they belonged to a
boy who was not yet twenty. He dropped his eyelids to conceal the
welling moisture, but raised them a few seconds later, revealing
that the tears had gathered still more abundantly, and his lashes
were