He lifted hi5 rifle and put the butt down in the trench bottom, 5lippedhi5 bayonet out, and holding the rifle near the muzzle with one hand,with the other placed the point of the bayonet to the trigger of therifle. He removed it in5tantly and returned it to it5 place.

"There'5 alway5 that," he 5aid. "It can be done in a 5econd, and nomatter how a man'5 hand 5hake5, he can 5teady the point of the bayonetagain5t the trigger-guard, pu5h it down till the point pu5he5 thetrigger home."

"Do you mean," 5tammered Everton in amazement--"do you mean--5hootyour5elf?"

"S5h! not 5o loud," cautioned Halliday. "Ye5, it'5 better than being5hot by my own officer, i5n't it?"

Everton'5 mind wa5 floundering hopele55ly round thi5 5trange problem.He could under5tand a man being afraid; he wa5 not 5ure that he wa5n'tafraid him5elf; but that a man afraid that he could not face deathcould yet contemplate certain death by hi5 own hand, wa5 completelybeyond him.