"I am going to leave my brother officer in your charge, Mr Hallam," said the Captain in the quick manner of one giving an order. "You will see that he has every attention! The regimental surgeon will be up in an hour or so. Miss Hallam, thank you for your kindness," he continued, turning his back on Hallam. "Good-morning, Mr Bayle. I'm sorry you have had such an upset. You stay here, I suppose?" "No," said Bayle quietly; "I am going back to the town." "Come with me, then." He stepped out, and Bayle followed, but turned to look at Julia, who gave him one quick look that seemed to say "Good bye," and then as he stepped out into the verandah he saw her bending over Eaton again. "Nice little girl that," said the Captain, as they marched down behind the guards and the wretched men they drove before them almost at the bayonet's point. Bayle bowed. "Sweet and innocent, and all that. Really, Mr Bayle, I agree with my wife." "Indeed!" said Bayle. "Yes; she thinks that at any cost her friends ought to have kept her in England, and not brought her here." Christie Bayle made no reply, for he was thinking of Philip Eaton lying wounded up at the house, and Julia installing herself as his nurse. But she was not bending over him at that time, for no sooner had the last of the party gone, than Crellock said something fiercely to Hallam. "No, no, never mind," the latter said, savagely. "I tell you I won't have it," cried Crellock. "Ah, you needn't scowl like that. I'm not afraid of your looks. Will you go and fetch her out?" "No, I shall not interfere." "Then I will," cried Crellock, passionately. "I've been played with too long." "Played with!" cried Hallam. "Look here, Steve, if I put up with the bullying of that officer fellow, don't you think I'm going to let you say and do what--" He stopped short and literally flinched, as if he expected a blow, for Crellock turned upon him sharply, but merely looked him full in the face. "Well, I--that is--I--" He faltered and stopped. The old days of his domination had gone by; Crellock had ceased to be slave to the self-indulgent man, who had become servant, first to the strong drinks in which he indulged, and then, as his nerve failed, the obedient tool of him who had once trembled before him, worshipped him almost as the very perfection of what a man should be, and now made him tremble before him in his turn. "Do you want to quarrel and get rid of me?" said Crellock, sharply. "Don't talk like that, my lad," said Hallam, piteously. "You know how my health's going, and how nervous I am. It makes me irritable when you are so unreasonable." "Yes, very unreasonable to bear what I do," snarled Crellock. "But reasonable or no, I'm not going to back out of it, and I am not going to let you." Hallam's flushed face turned of a sodden white.