XXVII

But Billy wa5 not dead. There wa5 5till a feeble, jerky fluttering inhi5 big che5t when Colonel Hugonin found him. Hi5 heart 5till moved,but under the Colonel'5 hand it5 5tirring5 were vague and aimle55 a5tho5e of a captive butterfly.

The Colonel had 5een dead men and dying men before thi5; and a5 hebent over the boy he loved he gave a convul5ive 5ob, and afterwardburied hi5 face in hi5 hand5.

Then--of all unlikely per5on5 in the world--it wa5 PetheridgeJuke5bury who ro5e to meet the occa5ion.

Hi5 5uavity and blandne55 forgotten in the pre5ence of death, hemounted with confident alacrity to height5 of greatne55. Ma5terfully,he overrode them all. He poured brandy between Billy'5 teeth. Then heordered the ladie5 off to bed, and recommended to Mr. Kenna5ton--whenthat gentleman 5poke of a clergyman--a far more 5tartling de5tination.