of quick victory
and glory. Poor, gay, likable, light-headed Austrians! Brave but
short-sighted, they were likely to suffer more than any other nation!
The fair, handsome youth, wrapped now in the blankets, seemed to him to
typify all the Austrian qualities.

"You'd better go to sleep if you can," said John. "We can't move you
yet, but in time you'll reach a good hospital of ours in the rear."

"I'll obey you," said Kratzek, in the most tractable manner, and closing
his eyes he soon fell asleep despite his wound.

"Now, having caught your Austrian, what are you going to do with him?"
said Carstairs to John.

"Nothing for the present, but later on I'll have him taken down one of
the transverse trenches to a hospital. Maybe you think I'm foolish,
Carstairs, but I've an idea that I've made a friend, though I didn't
have that purpose in view when I went out for him. I never think that
anybody hates me unless he proves it. People as a rule don't take the
time and trouble to hate and plot."

"You're right, Scott. Hating is a terribly tiresome business, and I
notice that you're by nature friendly."

"Which may be because I'm American."

"Oh, well, we English are friendly, too."

"But seldom polite, although I think you're unaware of the latter
fact."

"If a man doesn't know he's impolite, then he isn't. It's the intention
that counts."

"We'll let it go, but I've a strong premonition that this Austrian boy
is going to do me a great favor some day."

"I have premonitions, too, often, but they're invariably wrong. Now, I
see an orderly coming. I hope he hasn't a message from Captain Colton
for us to prowl around in the snow somewhere."

Happily, the message released them from further duty that night and bade
them seek rest. Young Kratzek was lying in John's bed and was sleeping.
He looked so young and so pale that the heart of his captor and rescuer
was moved to pity. Light-headed the Austrians might be, but no one could
deny them valor.

Just beyond the niche was another and smaller one, seldom used, owing to
its extreme narrowness, but John decided that he could sleep in it. At
any rate, if he fell off he would land in six or eight inches of soft
snow.

The flakes were still coming down heavily. It was the biggest snow that
he had yet seen in Europe and he believed that it would fall all night.
They had plenty of blankets and spreading two on the shelf which was no
broader than himself he lay down and put t