A nurse peeped round the screen and was surprised at the sight, for the eagerness of the splendid young officer to get to the uncouth old wreck, of whom, beyond his mortal injuries, they had been able to make so little, had impressed them all.
It was not till Jim had mopped himself up at last, and stood taking a last sad look at the tired old face, that she came in again.
"You knew the old man, sir?" she said sympathetically, behind which lay considerable curiosity.
"I've known him all my life. He's one of our people from Carne. It's terribly sad, you know. His daughter left home, and he came up to look for her. Think of it--to look for her in London! And I was afraid, all the time, how it would end. And it has. Poor old Seth!"
He told them all they wanted to know, and arranged with them to have the old man decently buried, and gave them money for the purpose and something for the hospital, and his own name and address.
"Then you're going to the war," said the nurse, with an animated face.
"Oh yes; we may go any day now."
"You ought to take some of us with you. You'll need us, you'll see."
He had promised to call on Mme Beteta that afternoon, and would have put off the visit but that he knew she would be disappointed, and she had shown herself so very kindly disposed towards him.
So he went, but madame's shrewd eyes fathomed his state of mind at once.