"I was sitting in the dark," said Lizzie; "but when I heard you coming, I raised the light."
"Are you afraid of me?" said Bruce.
"Oh, no! I'll put it down again. Sit down."
"I saw your friends going out," pursued Bruce; "so I knew I should find you alone.—What are you doing here in the dark?"
"I've just received very bad news from Mrs. Ford about her son. He's much worse, and will probably not live."
"Is it possible?"
"I was thinking about that."
"Dear me! Well that's a sad subject. I'm told he was a very fine young man."
"He was,—very," said Lizzie.
Bruce was silent awhile. He was a stranger to the young officer, and felt that he had nothing to offer beyond the commonplace expressions of sympathy and surprise. Nor had he exactly the measure of his companion's interest in him.