den. The poor fellow had been shot in the shoulder, a
painful as well as a dangerous wound.

For several days he lay speechless, and during that time the Confederate
surgeon and Mrs. Ruthven, as well as Marion, did all they could to ease
his suffering.

One day George Walden began to speak to Marion.

"You are very good to me," he said. "You are in reality an angel of
mercy."

"I am glad to be able to help you, and thus help the Southern cause,"
replied Marion. "But you must not speak too much. It may retard your
recovery."

"I will not talk much. But you are so kind I must thank you. What is
your name?"

"Marion Ruthven."

Then he told her his own, and said he had a sister at home, in Savannah,
Ga., and asked Marion to write a letter for him, which she did
willingly.

After that Marion and George Walden became quite intimate, and the
soldier told much about himself and the battles through which he had
passed.

"Some of them are nothing but nightmares," he said. "I never wish to see
the like of them again."

"And yet you saw only the fighting, I presume," said Marion. "Think of
what those in the hospital corps must behold."

"I was attached to the hospital corps," returned George Walden. "I have
helped to carry in hundreds who were wounded."

"If you were in the hospital service, did you ever meet a doctor named
Mackey?" questioned Marion, with increased interest.

At this question the brow of the wounded soldier darkened, and he
shifted uneasily upon his couch.

"Yes, I know Dr. Mackey well," he said, at last.

"You do!" cried the girl. "And what do you know of him? I would like to
know very much."

"Is he your friend?" asked George Walden cautiously.

"No, I cannot say that he is."

"Because, if he is your friend, I would rather not say anything further,
Miss Ruthven. I do not wish to hurt your feelings."

"Which means that what you have to say would be of no credit to Dr.
Mackey?"

"Exactly."

"I would like to know all about him. I will tell you why. You have
noticed Jack, my brother?"

"The lad who helped move me yesterday?"

"Yes."

"Of course--a fine young fellow."

"He is not my real brother. My parents adopted him about ten years ago."

"Indeed."

"Some time ago Dr. Mackey turned up here and claimed Jack as his son."

"Impossible! Why, Dr. Mackey is a bachelor!"

"You are sure of this? He says he was married to Jack's mother, who was
shipwrecked on our shore, and who die