him hate them. The sight of successful
roguery turned all his thoughts to bitterness.

Sometimes, in his great dejection, doubts
would arise in his mind whether all honesty
were not a mere delusion—a doctrine
preached by knaves who were too wise to
follow it, but palmed it upon weaker men for
their own gain. He knew that sometimes,
after an engagement, or even when on the
march, men would grow suddenly possessed
of a store of money—from what source none
told. Some would gamble this away, sitting
at night by watch-fires, and would lose good
sums without a thought, or with a laugh.
Dick never joined in these; but he would
sometimes look on with a strong interest.
One night he was watching such a party,
who were quietly throwing dice upon the top
of a drum. The man who won was an idle
and dissolute fellow. Hayes fixed his eyes
upon the little heap of money which the
winner swept into his pouch, and felt a
gnawing envy. The blood rushed to his
head. The forms of the men shot up into
unnatural size, and dropped again: the whole
scene reeled before his eyes in the ruddy
glare of the wood-fire. A strong desire
possessed him to seize the dice-box, and
challenge the winner to stake his gains once
more. A superstitious whisper was in his
ear, that the purpose for which he wanted
gold was good and just, and that the other
man would squander it—and that, seeing all
these things, Fortune would favour him.
He advanced to the drum, and asked eagerly
to be allowed to throw.  The man accepted
his challenge, and Hayes lost; he doubled
his stake, and lost again; doubled it, and
lost once more. Some men who knew their
comrade's avaricious character, had gathered
round, and he knew that they felt a satisfaction
at his losses. Indeed, as he cast down
his guineas and left the spot, a half-smothered
laugh caught his ear, and roused in him
thoughts more bitter still than he had felt
upon that New Year's-day when he wandered
hungry and weary, a stranger in the streets
of Newcastle.

There was a great battle on the next day,
which lasted from daylight until near sunset,
many hundreds being slain. The fight had
spread over a wide country, many sharp
struggles having taken place at distant
points. The company to which Hayes
belonged had been pushed on to the front; until,
near the close of the day, it found itself alone,
and the word was given to fall back. At
this moment he received a blow upon the
head, from what cause he knew not, for he
reeled at once, and fell.

He could not have lain long, When he
awoke, it was still daylight; but the place
where he found himself, was deserted.  He
rubbed his head and found a little blood,
which he wiped with his handkerchief, but
he seemed to have nothing but a bruise.
After resting a few moments, he felt quite
revived, and determined to go at once in
search of his comrades.

To those who have ever listened for noises
real or fancied, in solitary places, where
there is no wind, it will not seem strange
that Hayes felt doubtful in which direction
the body of the army lay; for sometimes he
seemed to hear a confused murmur upon
either sides, and sometimes a noise, like one
halloaing at a great distance. Not doubting,
however, that he should soon rejoin his
comrades, he wound his way round a low hill
till he came to a field of brushwood, where
traces of the fight were visible. The flush of
sunset filled the sky, like a crimson vapour
risen from the battle-field; but the light was
beginning to fail. Hayes walked quickly till
he sunk again into a hollow, and there, a little
off the path beside a pool of water gleaming
crimson in the sunset like a pool of blood,
he found the body of a man. He lay there
motionless, as if he had striven to gain the
pool and drink, but had died before he reached
it; and, being then some distance from the
battle-field, had remained there unobserved;
for Hayes knew, by the richness of his
uniform, that he was an officer of superior
rank.

Hayes paused a few moments, watching
the body for some sign of life, but it gave
none. His epaulettes and sword-hilt glittered
even in the waning light, and seemed
to dazzle the young soldier's eyes. The
uncontrollable madness of the night before
I came upon him once again. The lust for
money; the yearning after his abandoned
home; the casuistry that made the basest
thing seem good, all drew him on.

It was too late to help the man. The gold
or other things about him could be useful
to him no more. Before many hours, the
wretches who hover about a battle-field would
plunder him of all. Hayes's comrades had
never yet shown scruples on this point.
He stooped quickly beside the body, and
drew forth a purse. The man lay sideways,
and Hayes perceived a ribbon that was round
his neck, as if fastened to some trinket
worn beneath his shirt. He clutched it
greedily, and found a cross thick set with
diamonds that sparkled as he drew it forth,
Hayes shrank from touching the body as he
strove to disentangle the ribbon, when, to his
astonishment, the wounded man uttered a
faint groan.

Hayes started; and then paused; holding
the cross still firmly. The man was
evidently awakening from a swoon. His hand
passed quickly to his breast, as if to feel for
the cross there, and as quickly caught his
plunderer by the wrist.

"Laissez-moi ça. Mon Dieu! la croix!"
exclaimed the officer, as if still half-dreaming.

Hayes strove to disengage himself, but he
himself was weak with recent loss of blood,