Page 155 (1/2)

One night in autuathered about a fire on the slope

of a hill They belonged to a s orders to ray uniforms orn beyond the

point of shabbiness One of thein a tin cup

over the eth a little distance away,

while a fourth was trying to decipher a letter and had drawn close to

the light He had unfastened his collar and a good bit of his flannel

shirt front

"What's that you got around your neck, Ned?" asked one of the

in the obscurity

Ned--or Edmond--mechanically fastened another button of his shirt and

did not reply He went on reading his letter

"Is it your sweet heart's picture?"

"'Taint no gal's picture," offered the ed in stirring its grimy contents with a small

stick "That's a charave him to keep him out o' trouble I know theot a scratch sence he's

been in the ranks Hey, French! aint I right?" Edmond looked up absently