“An humble missionary,--a weak vessel,” said Paul, whiningly. “In a paroxysm of his pain he caught me thus, and has held me ever since. There--at last I am free!” And as he said these words, the sick man's fingers unclasped and liberated him. “There has been foul play here,” said Mr. Reggie, the stranger in civilian dress. “See! that box has been rifled; the floor is covered with papers. This man must be detained.” “In bonds or in a dungeon, it matters not,” said Paul, holding up his hands as if about to open a lengthy discourse; but he was hurried away ere he could continue. “He is certainly no worse,” said one of the surgeons, as he felt Conway's pulse and examined the action of his heart; “but I am far from saying that he will recover!” “If I do not greatly mistake,” said Reggis, “our friend the missionary is the man through whose kind offices I was betrayed within the Russian lines; but I' ll look to this later. As it was, I have had little to complain of my treatment in Sebastopol, and my detention was of the shortest.” “And Miss Kellett,--is she free also?” asked one of the bystanders. “Yes; we came back together. She is up at headquarters, giving Lord Raglan an account of her capture.” “What is it, Conway?” asked one of the surgeons, suddenly startled by the intensity of the anxiety in his face. “Are you in pain?” He shook his head in dissent. “You are thirsty, perhaps? Will you have something to drink?” “No,” said he, with the faintest possible utterance. “What is it, then, my poor fellow?” said he, affectionately. “So it was not a dream!” gasped out Conway. “What was it you fancied to be a dream?” “All,--everything but this!” And he pointed to a deep wound from a sabre-cut in his shoulder. “Ay, and that, too, will be as a dream some years hence!” said the other, cheeringly. It was evident, now, that the excitement of talking and seeing so many persons about him was injurious, and the surgeons silently motioned to the bystanders to retire. “May I remain with him?” asked the lawyer. “If he could give his consent to certain measures, sign one or two papers, years of litigation might be saved.” Conway had meanwhile beckoned to the surgeon to approach him; and then, as the other leaned over the bed, he whispered,-- “Was it true what I have just heard,--was she really here?” “Miss Kellett, do you mean? Yes; she carried up the news to you herself? It was she that tied the handkerchief on your wounded artery, too, and saved your life.” “Here,--in the Crimea? It cannot--cannot be!” sighed Conway. “She is not the only noble-hearted woman who has left home and friends to brave perils and face hardships, though, I own, she stands alone for heroism and daring.” “So, then, it was not a delusion,--I did actually see her in the trenches?” said Conway, eagerly. “She was in the advanced parallel the night the Russians surprised the 5th. She was the first to give the alarm of the attack.”