he outskirts of the town there was a large low building of mud or
sun-dried bricks, which had not been overthrown by the earthquake. To
this Pedro conducted his companions. They found room in the place,
though it was nearly full of survivors in all conditions of injury,--
from those who had got mere scratches and bruises, to those who had been
so crushed and mangled that life was gradually ebbing away. There
seemed to be about fifty people in the room, and every minute more were
being brought in.

Here Lawrence set down his burden, who had by that time quite recovered,
and turned quickly to the guide.

"Come, Pedro," he said, "I can be of use here; but we must have my own
wound dressed first. You can do it, I doubt not."

Pedro professed to be not only able but willing. Before he did it,
however, he whispered in a low tone, yet with much emphasis, to
Manuela--

"Don't forget yourself! Remember!"

As he whispered pretty loud, and in Spanish, Lawrence overheard and
understood him, and puzzled himself, not only that day, but for many
days and nights after, as to how it was possible that Manuela _could_
forget herself, and what it was she had to remember. But the more and
the longer he puzzled over it, the less did he clear up his mind on the
subject.

When it became known that Lawrence was a doctor, there was a visible
increase of hope in the expression and bearing of the poor wounded
people. And the youth soon justified their trustful feelings, for, with
Pedro and Quashy as assistant-surgeons, and Manuela as head-nurse, he
went about setting broken bones, bandaging limbs, sewing up wounds, and
otherwise relieving the sufferers around him.

While this was going on the poor people were recounting many marvellous
tales of terrible risks run, escapes made, and dangers evaded. During
all this time, too, frequent shocks of earthquake were felt, of greater
or less violence, and these afterwards continued daily for a month, so
that the few buildings which had partially survived the first awful
shock were finally levelled like the rest.

When Lawrence with his assistants had gone the rounds of the
extemporised hospital, he was so completely worn out that he could
scarcely keep his eyes open. Swallowing a cup of hot coffee hastily, he
flung himself on a heap of straw beside one of his patients, and almost
instantly fell into a profound lethargic slumber.

There was an unoccupied arm-chair in the room. Placing