"Won't you tell me?"
The corporal here winked again at the man next to him.
"Because," the girl moaned—"because—there isn't anybody up there."
The captain at last said timidly: "Well, I'm afraid—I'm afraid we'll have to——"
The girl sprang to her feet again, and implored him with her hands. She looked deep into his eyes with her glance, which was at this time like that of the fawn when it says to the hunter, "Have mercy upon me!"
These two stood regarding each other. The captain's foot was on the bottom step, but he seemed to be shrinking. He wore an air of being deeply wretched and ashamed. There was a silence!
Suddenly the corporal said in a quick, low tone: "Look out, captain!"
All turned their eyes swiftly toward the head of the stairs. There had appeared there a youth in a grey uniform. He stood looking coolly down at them. No word was said by the troopers. The girl gave vent to a little wail of desolation, "O Harry!"
He began slowly to descend the stairs. His right arm was in a white sling, and there were some fresh blood-stains upon the cloth. His face was rigid and deathly pale, but his eyes flashed like lights. The girl was again moaning in an utterly dreary fashion, as the youth came slowly down toward the silent men in blue.
Six steps from the bottom of the flight he halted and said: "I reckon it's me you're looking for."