When I came to myself we were still flying through the wild, swift-changing scene, homeward bound; one of my hands was numb, and my wrist bandaged, and my head--was on Vesty's shoulder! We were in right Basin fashion now, only by needs it was Vesty's arm that was about me. "Am I dead, Vesty?" said I, half believing it in my bliss; besides, I had ever a great appreciation of the Irish humor. "Oh, don't, major; don't!" said Vesty; "you saved me from getting terribly hurt, they say--or----" "Ugh!" I groaned. "Your poor arm!" said she. "Oh, the pain!" "Nothing pains me," said I. "Your arm wasn't broken, major; but it 's terribly bruised and sprained." "And my neck, Vesty--you are sure that was not broken?" She sighed, but since I was bent, she followed my humor. "Never fear," said this demure young woman; "that 's too proud ever to get a twist." Here was a dilemma--that I should be developing into a wit and Vesty into a coquette! "Well," said I, "I must try and straighten myself up again," and with that endeavor the pain did cut me so cruelly I fainted, quite without any maiden affectation, back again on to Vesty's arm. "Try and think," said she, when I could hear her voice, "that I am some old woman, just trying to take care of you--somebody not disagreeable to you, and keep still till we get home." "Very well," said I, tormenting myself with the thought that she was acting under some compelling sense of obligation; and that should never be. So I answered briefly all at once; and no sooner had I spoken than I endured a gnawing consciousness that I was the hatefullest thing that had escaped extermination that night. I kept still, however; the pain was something to dread. At least I had my beautiful mother's hair, thick and curling; that was all Vesty could see now there on her shoulder. I comforted myself with that thought as a child. I was weak, and I let some tears roll down my face that Vesty could not see. When the strong fellows took me out of the sleigh and bore me very gently up to the door they stopped there for a moment, while I wondered; and if any bitter sense of their physical supremacy pierced me at that moment it ceased forever, as with a preconcerted signal from the foremost they lifted the caps from their heads and cheered my name, thrice and again, and again, with ringing cheers--and Vesty standing by! The old Basin flag--almost as dilapidated as I--had heard nothing like it; but when they dressed the swollen arm pain sent me off into oblivion again. Vesty's was the last face I saw bending over me: "Do you"--timidly--"do you want me to come to-morrow, and see how you are?" "Oh, if you will--thank you! Still, I am all right--I shall be all right, never fear." She lingered still a moment, but spoke calmly: "If you don't care anything about me why did you risk your life to save me from getting hurt?"