others; the three white heads bent silently over the
fourth upon the pillow; and Ariel saw waveringly,
for her eyes suddenly filled, that the Colonel laid
his unsteady hand upon Eskew's, which was outside
the coverlet.

"It's--it's not," said the old soldier, gently--
"it's not on--on both sides, is it, Eskew?"

Mr. Arp moved his hand slightly in answer. "It
ain't paralysis," he said. "They call it `shock
and exhaustion'; but it's more than that. It's
just my time. I've heard the call. We've all
been slidin' on thin ice this long time--and it's
broke under me--"

"Eskew, Eskew!" remonstrated Peter Bradbury.
"You'd oughtn't to talk that-a-way! You
only kind of overdone a little--heat o' the day,
too, and--"

"Peter," interrupted the sick man, with feeble
asperity, "did you ever manage to fool me in your
life?"

"No, Eskew."

"Well, you're not doin' it now!"

Two tears suddenly loosed themselves from