o
the camp? Rather a good-looking piece you got here now, ain t she? " He pointed his pipe-stem at Paquita.
For the first time the Prince showed colour.
The officer and his men, toward midnight, spread their blankets on the other side of the fire. They were scarce of blankets, and the night was cold.
This may be the reason they all spread down together. But there is nothing that will excuse such a stupid thing in the mountains. Sleep apart. Wide apart, rods apart : never two together, unless you wish to make a broad target of yourselves where the muzzle of one gun can do the work of many.
Before lying down the men did what they could for their tired beasts ; and then the officer came up to the Doctor, who still gazed and gazed into the fire, and, drawing something from his pockets that chinked like chains, said
" Your hands !"
" He is ill," said the Prince, " very ill. I will answer for him. Iron me instead ; but that man is a nervous, sensitive man that cannot bear to be chained."
The officer laughed a little and, without answer ing, took the Doctor s unresisting hands and linked them together with a snap that made one shudder ; then, laying him back in his blankets, looked to his pistol, and saying
u Don t move ! Don t you attempt to move !" walked over to the other side of the pine-kno
