“Not that I know of, Colonel,” laughed the young officer.
“You have been in at least half a dozen battles, and never once been wounded.”
“Never yet, Colonel. But I have a presentiment that if I ever am struck, I shall not be wounded but killed,” said the boy officer gravely.
“Nonsense, Wing, I don’t believe in presentiments. I never had a presentiment fulfilled in my life,” laughed the colonel.
At that moment an orderly entered the quarters, saluted, and handed a small sealed packet to his colonel.
Colonel Rosenthal broke it open and read it hastily, changed color as he never had done on the most fiercely fought battle-field, and then he passed the paper to Wing, saying:
“You see it is a telegram summoning me immediately to Washington, and it must be acted upon without delay.”
Wing also grew very pale as he read the dispatch. He returned it without a word.
Colonel Rosenthal immediately put himself in communication with the general commanding his division, and the next day, having obtained a short furlough, left for Washington.
A very few hours after the departure of Colonel Rosenthal, Captain Wing applied for ten days’ leave of absence for the purpose of visiting a dear friend supposed to be at the point of death.