shuddering.

"You get used to it," said the hero, simply. "Hottest time I had I think
was at the bombardment of Alexandria. I stood alone. All the men who
hadn't been shot down had fled, and the shells were bursting round me
like--like fireworks."

The widow clasped her hands and shuddered again.

"I was standing just behind 'im, waiting any orders he might give," said
Mr. Burton.

"Were you?" said Mr. Stiles, sharply--"were you? I don't remember it,
Burton."

"Why," said Mr. Burton, with a faint laugh, "I was just behind you, sir.
If you remember, sir, I said to you that it was pretty hot work."

Mr. Stiles affected to consider. "No, Burton," he said, bluffly--"no; so
far as my memory goes I was the only man there."

"A bit of a shell knocked my cap off, sir," persisted Mr. Burton, making
laudable efforts to keep his temper.

"That'll do, my man," said the other, sharply; "not another word. You
forget yourself."

He turned to the widow and began to chat about "his people" again to
divert her attention from Mr. Burton, who seemed likely to cause
unpleasantness by either bursting a blood-vessel or falling into a fit.