The hospital at Carton was mainly for privates, with a certain amount of accommodation for officers.

He had done his best during the summer to be useful to some poor fellows, especially of his own regiment, on the Tommies' side.

And he had lately come across some perplexing signs of a special thoughtfulness on Miss Farrell's part for these particular men.

He had discovered also that she had taken pains to keep these small kindnesses of hers from his knowledge.
'I wasn't to tell you, sir,'-- said the boy who had lost an eye--'not whatever.

But when you come along with them things'-- a set of draughts and a book--'why it do seem as though I be gettin' more than my share!' Well, she had always been incomprehensible--and he was weary of the attempt to read her.