Only，theothersdidnotknowofit，wouldneverhearofit。IfPetersucceededhemighttellthetale，butmostlikelyhewaslyingdeadsomewhereintheno—man’s—landbetweenthelines。Weshouldneverbeheardofagainanymore，butourworkremained。SirWalterwouldknowthat，andhewouldtellourfewbelongingsthatwehadgoneoutinourcountry’sservice。
　　Wewereinthe_castrolagain，sittingundertheparapets。ThesamethoughtsmusthavebeeninSandy’smind，forhesuddenlylaughed。
　　’It’saqueerending，Dick。Wesimplyvanishintotheinfinite。IftheRussiansgetthroughtheywillneverrecognizewhatisleftofusamongsomuchofthewreckageofbattle。Thesnowwillsooncoverus，andwhenthespringcomestherewillonlybeafewbleachedbones。UponmysoulitisthekindofdeathIalwayswanted。’AndhequotedsoftlytohimselfaverseofanoldScotsballad:
　　’Mony’stheaneforhimmaksmane，Butnanesallkenwharheisgane。
　　Owerhiswhitebanes，whentheyarebare，Thewindsallblawforevermair。’
　　’Butourworklives，’Icried，withasuddengreatgaspofhappiness。
　　’It’sthejobthatmatters，notthementhatdoit。Andourjob’sdone。Wehavewon，oldchap—wonhandsdown—andthereisnogoingbackonthat。Wehavewonanyway;andifPeterhashadasliceofluck，we’vescoopedthepool……Afterall，weneverexpectedtocomeoutofthisthingwithourlives。’
　　Blenkiron，withhislegstuckoutstifflybeforehim，washummingquietlytohimself，asheoftendidwhenhefeltcheerful。Hehadonlyonesong，’JohnBrown’sBody’;usuallyonlyalineatatime，butnowhegotasfarasthewholeverse:
　　’HecapturedHarper’sFerry，withhisnineteenmensotrue，AndhefrightenedoldVirginnytillshetrembledthroughandthrough。
　　Theyhunghimforatraitor，themselvesthetraitorcrew，Buthissoulgoesmarchingalong。’
　　’Feelinggood？’Iasked。
　　’Fine。I’mabouttheluckiestmanonGod’searth，Major。I’vealwayswantedtogetintoabigshow，butIdidn’tseehowitwouldcomethewayofahomelycitizenlikeme，livinginasteam—warmedhouseandgoingdowntowntomyofficeeverymorning。IusedtoenvymyolddadthatfoughtatChattanooga，andneverforgottotellyouaboutit。ButIguessChattanoogawaslikeascrapinaBowerybarcomparedtothis。WhenImeettheoldmaninGloryhe’llhavetolistensometome。’
　　ItwasjustafterBlenkironspokethatwegotareminderofStumm’spresence。Thegunwaswelllaid，forashellplumpedonthenearedgeofthecastro。ItmadeanendofoneoftheCompanionswhowasonguardthere，badlywoundedanother，andafragmentgashedmythigh。Wetookrefugeintheshallowcave，butsomewildshootingfromtheeastsidebroughtusbacktotheparapets，forwefearedanattack。Nonecame，noranymoreshells，andonceagainthenightwasquiet。
　　IaskedBlenkironifhehadanynearrelatives。
　　’Why，no，exceptasister’sson，acollege—boywhohasnoneedofhisuncle。It’sfortunatethatwethreehavenowives。Ihaven’tanyregrets，neither，forI’vehadamightydealoutoflife。IwasthinkingthismorningthatitwasapityIwasgoingoutwhenIhadjustgotmyduo—denumtolistentoreason。ButIreckonthat’sanotherofmymercies。ThegoodGodtookawaythepaininmystomachsothatImightgotoHimwithaclearheadandathankfulheart。’
　　’We’reluckyfellows，’saidSandy;’we’veallhadourwhack。
　　WhenIrememberthegoodtimesI’vehadIcouldsingahymnofpraise。We’velivedlongenoughtoknowourselves，andtoshapeourselvesintosomekindofdecency。Butthinkofthoseboyswhohavegiventheirlivesfreelywhentheyscarcelyknewwhatlifemeant。Theywerejustatthebeginningoftheroad，andtheydidn’tknowwhatdrearybitslaybeforethem。Itwasallsunshinyandbright—coloured，andyettheygaveitupwithoutamoment’sdoubt。
　　Andthinkofthemenwithwivesandchildrenandhomesthatwerethebiggestthingsinlifetothem。Forfellowslikeustoshirkwouldbeblackcowardice。It’ssmallcreditforustostickitout。
　　Butwhenthoseothersshuttheirteethandwentforward，theywereblessedheroes……’
　　Afterthatwefellsilent。Aman’sthoughtsatatimelikethatseemtobedouble—powered，andthememorybecomesverysharpandclear。Idon’tknowwhatwasintheothers’minds，butIknowwhatfilledmyown……
　　Ifancyitisn’tthemenwhogetmostoutoftheworldandarealwaysbuoyantandcheerfulthatmostfeartodie。Ratheritistheweak—enginedsoulswhogoaboutwithdulleyes，thatclingmostfiercelytolife。Theyhavenotthejoyofbeingalivewhichisakindofearnestofimmortality……IknowthatmythoughtswerechieflyaboutthejollythingsthatIhadseenanddone;notregret，butgratitude。Thepanoramaofbluenoonsontheveldunrolleditselfbeforeme，andhunter’snightsinthebush，thetasteoffoodandsleep，thebitterstimulusofdawn，thejoyofwildadventure，thevoicesofoldstaunchfriends。Hithertothewarhadseemedtomakeabreakwithallthathadgonebefore，butnowthewarwasonlypartofthepicture。Ithoughtofmybattalion，andthegoodfellowsthere，manyofwhomhadfallenontheLoosparapets。Ihadneverlookedtocomeoutofthatmyself。ButIhadbeenspared，andgiventhechanceofagreaterbusiness，andIhadsucceeded。Thatwasthetremendousfact，andmymoodwashumblegratitudetoGodandexultantpride。Deathwasasmallpricetopayforit。AsBlenkironwouldhavesaid，Ihadgotgoodvalueinthedeal。
　　Thenightwasgettingbittercold，ashappensbeforedawn。Itwasfrostagain，andthesharpnessofitwokeourhunger。Igotouttheremnantsofthefoodandwineandwehadalastmeal。I
　　rememberwepledgedeachotheraswedrank。
　　’WehaveeatenourPassoverFeast，’saidSandy。’Whendoyoulookfortheend？’
　　’Afterdawn，’Isaid。’Stummwantsdaylighttogetthefullsavourofhisrevenge。’
　　Slowlytheskypassedfromebonytogrey，andblackshapesofhilloutlinedthemselvesagainstit。Awindblewdownthevalley，bringingtheacridsmellofburning，butsomethingtooofthefreshnessofmorn。Itstirredstrangethoughtsinme，andwoketheoldmorningvigourofthebloodwhichwasnevertobemineagain。ForthefirsttimeinthatlongvigilIwastornwithasuddenregret。
　　’Wemustgetintothecavebeforeitisfulllight，’Isaid。’Wehadbetterdrawlotsforthetwotogo。’
　　ThechoicefellononeoftheCompanionsandBlenkiron。
　　’Youcancountmeout，’saidthelatter。’Ifit’syourwishtofindamantobealivewhenourfriendscomeuptocounttheirspoil，I
　　guessI’mtheworstofthelot。I’dprefer，ifyoudon’tmind，tostayhere。I’vemademypeacewithmyMaker，andI’dliketowaitquietlyonHiscall。I’llplayagameofPatiencetopassthetime。’
　　Hewouldtakenodenial，sowedrewagain，andthelotfelltoSandy。
　　’IfI’mthelasttogo，’hesaid，’IpromiseIdon’tmiss。Stummwon’tbelonginfollowingme。’
　　Heshookhandswithhischeerysmile，andheandtheCompanionslippedovertheparapetinthefinalshadowsbeforedawn。
　　BlenkironspreadhisPatiencecardsonaflatrock，anddealtouttheDoubleNapoleon。Hewasperfectlycalm，andhummedtohimselfhisonlytune。FormyselfIwasdrinkinginmylastdraughtofthehillair。Mycontentmentwasgoing。Isuddenlyfeltbitterlyloathtodie。
　　SomethingofthesamekindmusthavepassedthroughBlenkiron’shead。Hesuddenlylookedupandasked，’SisterAnne，SisterAnne，doyouseeanybodycoming？’
　　Istoodclosetotheparapet，watchingeverydetailofthelandscapeasshownbytherevealingdaybreak。UpontheshouldersofthePalantuken，snowdriftslippedovertheedgesofthecliffs。I
　　wonderedwhentheywouldcomedownasavalanches。Therewasakindofcroftononehillside，andfromahutthesmokeofbreakfastwasbeginningtocurl。Stumm’sgunnerswereawakeandapparentlyholdingcouncil。Fardownonthemainroadaconvoywasmoving—Iheardthecreakofthewheelstwomilesaway，fortheairwasdeathlystill。
　　Then，asifaspringhadbeenloosed，theworldsuddenlyleapedtoahideouslife。Withagrowlthegunsopenedroundallthehorizon。Theywereespeciallyfiercetothesouth，wherea_rafalebeatasIhadneverhearditbefore。TheoneglanceIcastbehindmeshowedthegapinthehillschokedwithfumesanddust。
　　Butmyeyeswereonthenorth。FromErzerumcitytalltonguesofflameleapedfromadozenquarters。Beyond，towardstheopeningoftheEuphratesglen，therewasthesharpcrackoffield—guns。I
　　strainedeyesandears，madwithimpatience，andIreadtheriddle。
　　’Sandy，’Iyelled，’Peterhasgotthrough。TheRussiansareroundtheflank。Thetownisburning。GlorytoGod，we’vewon，we’vewon！’
　　AndasIspoketheearthseemedtosplitbesideme，andIwasflungforwardonthegravelwhichcoveredHildavonEinem’sgrave。
　　AsIpickedmyselfup，andtomyamazementfoundmyselfuninjured，IsawBlenkironrubbingthedustoutofhiseyesandarrangingadisorderedcard。Hehadstoppedhumming，andwassingingaloud:
　　’HecapturedHarper’sFerry，withhisnineteenmensotrueAndhefrightenedoldVirginny……’
　　’Say，Major，’hecried，’Ibelievethisgameofmineiscomingout。’
　　Iwasnowprettywellmad。ThethoughtthatoldPeterhadwon，thatwehadwonbeyondourwildestdreams，thatifwediedtherewerethosecomingwhowouldexacttheuttermostvengeance，rodemybrainlikeafever。IsprangontheparapetandwavedmyhandtoStumm，shoutingdefiance。Rifleshotscrackedoutfrombehind，andIleapedbackjustintimeforthenextshell。
　　Thechargemusthavebeenshort，foritwasabadmiss，landingsomewhereontheglacis。Thenextwasbetterandcrashedonthenearparapet，carvingagreatholeintherocky_kranz。Thistimemyarmhunglimp，brokenbyafragmentofstone，butIfeltnopain。
　　Blenkironseemedtobearacharmedlife，forhewassmotheredindust，butunhurt。Heblewthedustawayfromhiscardsverygingerlyandwentonplaying。
　　’SisterAnne，’heasked，’doyouseeanybodycoming？’
　　Thencameadudwhichdroppedneatlyinsideonthesoftground。
　　Iwasdeterminedtobreakfortheopenandchancetheriflefire，forifStummwentonshootingthe_castrolwascertaindeath。IcaughtBlenkironroundthemiddle，scatteringhiscardstothewinds，andjumpedovertheparapet。
　　’Don’tapologize，SisterAnne，’saidhe。’Thegamewasasgoodaswon。ButforGod’ssakedropme，forifyouwavemelikethebanneroffreedomI’llgetpluggedsureandgood。’
　　Myonethoughtwastogetcoverforthenextminutes，forIhadaninstinctthatourvigilwasnearitsend。ThedefencesofErzerumwerecrumblinglikesand—castles，anditwasaproofofthetensenessofmynervesthatIseemedtobedeaftothesound。Stummhadseenuscrosstheparapet，andhestartedtosprinkleallthesurroundingsofthe_castrol。BlenkironandIlaylikeaworking—partybetweenthelinescaughtbymachine—guns，takingapullonourselvesasbestwecould。Sandyhadsomekindofcover，butwewereonthebarefartherslope，andtheriflemenonthatsidemighthavehadusattheirmercy。
　　Butnoshotscamefromthem。AsIlookedeast，thehillside，whichalittlebeforehadbeenheldbyourenemies，wasasemptyasthedesert。AndthenIsawonthemainroadasightwhichforasecondtimemademeyelllikeamaniac。Downthatglencameathrongofmenandgallopinglimbers—acrazy，jostlingcrowd，spreadingawaybeyondtheroadtothesteepslopes，andleavingbehinditmanyblackdotstodarkenthesnows。ThegatesoftheSouthhadyielded，andourfriendswerethroughthem。
　　AtthatsightIforgotallaboutourdanger。Ididn’tgiveacentforStumm’sshells。Ididn’tbelievehecouldhitme。Thefatewhichhadmercifullypreservedusforthefirsttasteofvictorywouldseeusthroughtotheend。
　　IrememberbundlingBlenkironalongthehilltofindSandy。Butournewswasanticipated。Fordownourownside—glencamethesamebrokentumultofmen。More;forattheirbacks，farupatthethroatofthepass，Isawhorsemen—thehorsemenofthepursuit。
　　OldNicholashadflunghiscavalryin。
　　Sandywasonhisfeet，withhislipssetandhiseyeabstracted。Ifhisfacehadn’tbeenburnedblackbyweatheritwouldhavebeenpaleasadish—clout。Amanlikehimdoesn’tmakeuphismindfordeathandthenbegivenhislifeagainwithoutbeingwrenchedoutofhisbearings。Ithoughthedidn’tunderstandwhathadhappened，soIbeathimontheshoulders。
　　’Man，d’yousee？’Icried。’TheCossacks！TheCossacks！God！
　　Howthey’retakingthatslope！They’reintothemnow。Byheaven，we’llridewiththem！We’llgetthegunhorses！’
　　AlittleknollpreventedStummandhismenfromseeingwhatwashappeningfartheruptheglen，tillthefirstwaveoftheroutwasonthem。Hehadgoneonbombardingthe_castrolanditsenvironswhiletheworldwascrackingoverhishead。Thegunteamwasinthehollowbelowtheroad，anddownthehillamongtheboulderswecrawled，Blenkironaslameasaduck，andmewithalimpleftarm。
　　Thepoorbeastswerestrainingattheirpicketsandsniffingthemorningwind，whichbroughtdownthethickfumesofthegreatbombardmentandtheindescribablebabblingcriesofabeatenarmy。
　　Beforewereachedthemthatmaddenedhordehadsweptdownonthem，menpantingandgaspingintheirflight，manyofthembloodyfromwounds，manytotteringinthefirststagesofcollapseanddeath。Isawthehorsesseizedbyadozenhands，andadesperatefightfortheirpossession。Butaswehaltedthereoureyeswerefixedonthebatteryontheroadaboveus，forrounditwasnowsweepingthevanoftheretreat。
　　Ihadneverseenaroutbefore，whenstrongmencometotheendoftheirtetherandonlytheirbrokenshadowsstumbletowardstherefugetheyneverfind。NomorehadStumm，poordevil。Ihadnoill—willleftforhim，thoughcomingdownthathillIwasratherhopingthatthetwoofusmighthaveafinalscrap。Hewasabruteandabully，but，byGod！hewasaman。I
　　heardhisgreatroarwhenhesawthetumult，andthenextIsawwashismonstrousfigureworkingatthegun。Heswungitsouthandturneditonthefugitives。
　　Butheneverfiredit。Thepresswasonhim，andthegunwassweptsideways。Hestoodup，afoothigherthananyofthem，andheseemedtobetryingtochecktherushwithhispistol。Thereispowerinnumbers，eventhougheveryunitisbrokenandfleeing。
　　ForasecondtothatwildcrowdStummwastheenemy，andtheyhadstrengthenoughtocrushhim。Thewaveflowedroundandthenacrosshim。Isawthebutt—endsofriflescrashonhisheadandshoulders，andthenextsecondthestreamhadpassedoverhisbody。
　　ThatwasGod’sjudgementonthemanwhohadsethimselfabovehiskind。
　　Sandygrippedmyshoulderandwasshoutinginmyear:
　　’They’recoming，Dick。Lookatthegreydevils……Oh，Godbethanked，it’sourfriends！’
　　Thenextminuteweweretumblingdownthehillside，Blenkironhoppingononelegbetweenus。IhearddimlySandycrying，’Oh，welldoneourside！’andBlenkirondeclaimingaboutHarper’sFerry，butIhadnovoiceatallandnowishtoshout。Iknowthetearswereinmyeyes，andthatifIhadbeenleftaloneIwouldhavesatdownandcriedwithpurethankfulness。Forsweepingdowntheglencameacloudofgreycavalryonlittlewiryhorses，acloudwhichstayednotfortherearofthefugitives，butsweptonlikeaflightofrainbows，withthesteeloftheirlance—headsglitteringinthewintersun。TheywereridingforErzerum。
　　RememberthatforthreemonthswehadbeenwiththeenemyandhadneverseenthefaceofanAllyinarms。Wehadbeencutofffromthefellowshipofagreatcause，likeafortsurroundedbyanarmy。Andnowweweredelivered，andtherefellaroundusthewarmjoyofcomradeshipaswellastheexultationofvictory。
　　Weflungcautiontothewinds，andwentstarkmad。Sandy，stillinhisemeraldcoatandturban，wasscramblingupthefartherslopeofthehollow，yellinggreetingsineverylanguageknowntoman。
　　Theleadersawhim，withawordcheckedhismenforamoment—
　　itwasmarvelloustoseethehorsesreinedininsuchabreak—neckride—andfromthesquadronhalfadozentroopersswunglooseandwheeledtowardsus。Thenamaninagreyovercoatandasheepskincapwasonthegroundbesideuswringingourhands。
　　’Youaresafe，myoldfriends’—itwasPeter’svoicethatspoke—
　　’Iwilltakeyoubacktoourarmy，andgetyoubreakfast。’
　　’No，bytheLord，youwon’t，’criedSandy。’We’vehadtheroughendofthejobandnowwe’llhavethefun。LookafterBlenkironandthesefellowsofmine。I’mgoingtoridekneebykneewithyoursportsmenforthecity。’
　　Peterspokeaword，andtwooftheCossacksdismounted。ThenextIknewIwasmixedupinthecloudofgreycoats，gallopingdowntheroadupwhichthemorningbeforewehadstrainedtothe_castrol。
　　Thatwasthegreathourofmylife，andtolivethroughitwasworthadozenyearsofslavery。WithabrokenleftarmIhadlittleholdonmybeast，soItrustedmynecktohimandlethimhavehiswill。Blackwithdirtandsmoke，hatless，withnokindofuniform，I
　　wasawilderfigurethananyCossack。IsoonwasseparatedfromSandy，whohadtwohandsandabetterhorse，andseemedresolutetopressforwardtotheveryvan。Thatwouldhavebeensuicideforme，andIhadallIcoulddotokeepmyplaceinthebunchIrodewith。
　　But，GreatGod！whatanhouritwas！Therewaslooseshootingonourflank，butnothingtotroubleus，thoughthegunteamofsomeAustrianhowitzer，strugglingmadlyatabridge，gaveusabitofatussle。Everythingflittedpastmelikesmoke，orlikethemadfinaleofadreamjustbeforewaking。Iknewthelivingmovementunderme，andthecompanionshipofmen，butalldimly，foratheartIwasalone，grapplingwiththerealizationofanewworld。I
　　felttheshadowsofthePalantukenglenfading，andthegreatburstoflightasweemergedonthewidervalley。Somewherebeforeuswasapallofsmokeseamedwithredflames，andbeyondthedarknessofstillhigherhills。AllthattimeIwasdreaming，crooningdaftcatchesofsongtomyself，sohappy，sodeliriouslyhappythatI
　　darednottrytothink。IkeptmutteringakindofprayermadeupofBiblewordstoHimwhohadshownmeHisgoodnessinthelandoftheliving。
　　Butaswedrewoutfromtheskirtsofthehillsandbeganthelongslopetothecity，Iwoketoclearconsciousness。Ifeltthesmellofsheepskinandlatheredhorses，andaboveallthebittersmelloffire。DowninthetroughlayErzerum，nowburninginmanyplaces，andfromtheeast，pastthesilentforts，horsemenwereclosinginonit。Iyelledtomycomradesthatwewerenearest，thatwewouldbefirstinthecity，andtheynoddedhappilyandshoutedtheirstrangewar—cries。AswetoppedthelastridgeIsawbelowmethevanofourcharge—adarkmassonthesnow—whilethebrokenenemyonbothsideswereflingingawaytheirarmsandscatteringinthefields。
　　Intheveryfront，nownearingthecityramparts，wasoneman。
　　Hewaslikethepointofthesteelspearsoontobedrivenhome。IntheclearmorningairIcouldseethathedidnotweartheuniformoftheinvaders。Hewasturbanedandrodelikeonepossessed，andagainstthesnowIcaughtthedarksheenofemerald。AsherodeitseemedthatthefleeingTurkswerestrickenstill，andsankbytheroadsidewitheyesstrainedafterhisunheedingfigure……
　　ThenIknewthattheprophecyhadbeentrue，andthattheirprophethadnotfailedthem。Thelong—lookedforrevelationhadcome。Greenmantlehadappearedatlasttoanawaitingpeople。