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 moonlight, beating fully on his face, showed it livid and drawn with pain.

"Why, my dear man," says I, "what have you dragged yourself here to do?" For seeing him in this extremity, I forgot all about my shoulder, which really seemed to have had no more than one stroke from a whip laid on it.

"To succour you," says he, "if you will permit me?"

"Then I won't," says I, "for 'tis you that's wanting aid."

"Psha!" says he; "a mere scratch, my dearest lady."

Now that was not the truth, for the man was in such agony that he could scarcely speak. Yet I thought his courage admirable. Here it was I made an attempt to rise on my own account, and with far better success than he. But so soon as I stood up, my head reeled and swayed and nearly brought me to the grass again.

I think it must have been the presence of the Captain that saved me from fainting on the spot. But having once fought down that supreme desire, my strength unaccountably returned, and I determined to set forth straightway to the house to procure assistance for the Captain, who was still sitting on the turf as helpless as a baby.

"I beg of you," says he, observing me to be already fit for travel, "to instruct one of your people to call my men at once.

"By my faith, no," says I, "that poor lad must