“Get rid of Zaidos,” they said over and over. “Get rid of him. Who will know? Don’t you hate him? You ought to! Just because he is the one who really owns everything, is that any reason why you should get out and work for an honest living? You don’t want to bother with an honest living. You want to live soft and lie easy. Get rid of Zaidos! Now is your chance! It is your only chance. You know how he makes friends everywhere. He is straight as a string. He does not lie. He wouldn’t do a mean action. Fellows like us are afraid of that sort. Get rid of him. Now—now!”
So the whispering in Velo’s mind went on, and he listened and listened, and presently he sat up. On his face was written what is written on every man’s face when he gives the keys of his soul over to Evil.
Zaidos came climbing out.
“Well, the doctor is going to save your friend Smith,” he said cheerfully. “Good work, too! One of the nicest fellows I ever knew, that Smith. Too bad about his little brother. I never saw two fellows so crazy over each other. It seems they are the last of the family. Doctor says this fellow will never be able to fight again, but he will get perfectly well in time. I don’t believe it myself. I don’t believe any of the men wounded so will ever get all over it, but we can hope so, anyhow. You see I feel as though I knew this man Smith real well because he knows a schoolmate of mine, Nickell-Wheelerson his name is. He was just a plain boy when we were at school, but he came over with me, and now he’s a lord. Poor old Nick, how he will hate it!”
Velo put a hand on his breast where the papers were hidden. Zaidos stooped and tightened the strap of his puttee. Velo watched him sneeringly. Zaidos was so maddeningly unconcerned. The urge of Evil became like a heavy hand knocking on his heart. He almost feared Zaidos would hear it. “Now—now—now!” it went.
“Come on, Zaidos,” he said, standing up. “I suppose we have an all-night task before us.”
Zaidos yawned. “I thought so, too,” he said; “but it seems they are looking for a bad day tomorrow and we have been relieved from duty for the night. A new shift goes into the field in ten minutes, and we go back to one of the farm-houses to rest until ten to-morrow. Come on, let’s start.”
“To-morrow, then,” whispered Velo to the Evil in his soul.
CHAPTER X
VICTORY
The boys walked slowly back, picking their way as well as they could in the darkness, occasionally taking to the zig-zag trenches when the surface paths were too obscure. Everywhere men were sleeping, rolled up in their blankets and lying uncomfortably along the bottom of the trenches or out on the ground under the stars. The boys did not talk. Zaidos was busy thinking of the present, with all its tragic incidents, and occasionally a funny happening to lighten the gloom. He thought of Helen, and wondered how her well-beloved patient was progressing. He had a sort of “hunch” as the fellows at school used to say, that Helen was a happy girl, and certainly, if the man was conscious at all, he was happy, too.