Nelly was wrapt in thoughts of George.

Would he get leave before Christmas?
Suppose he were wounded slightly--just a wound that would send him home, and let her nurse him ?--a wound from which he would be sure to get well--not too quickly! She could not make up her mind to wish it--to pray for it--it seemed like tempting Providence.

But how she had envied a young couple whom she sometimes met walking on the Ambleside road!--a young private of one of the Border regiments, with a bandaged arm, and his sweetheart.
Once--with that new free-masonry which the war has brought about, she had stopped to speak to them.

The boy had been quite ready to talk about his wound.

It had seemed nothing at first--just a fragment of shrapnel--he had scarcely known he was hit.