Tom Burke of ''Ours'', Volume II

r towards her, I grew sick at heart, and hated myself for my own cold ingratitude. All her little acts of kindness, her tender care, her unwearying good-nature, were before me. I thought of her as I had seen her often in the silence of the night, when, waking from some sleep of pain, she sat beside my bed, her hand pressed on my heated forehead; her low, clear voice was in my ear; her soft, mild look, beaming with hope and tender pity. Poor Minette! had I then offended you? was such the return I made for all your kindness?

"The men are ready, sir," said the sergeant, entering at the moment.

"She is gone," said I, following out my own sad train of thought, and pointing to the vacant stall where her pony used to stand.

"Mademoiselle Minette--"

"Yes, what of her--where is she?"

"Marched with the cuirassier brigade that passed here last night at twelve o'clock. She seemed very ill, sir, and the officer made her sit on one of the wagons."

"Which road did they take? »