To his consternation no one
seemed to heed him! Then the remembrance of his disguise flashed upon
him. But he had only time to throw away his hat and snatch a sword from
a falling lieutenant, before a scorching flash seemed to pass before
his eyes and burn through his hair, and he dropped like a log beside his
subaltern.
*****
An aching under the bandage around his head where a spent bullet had
grazed his scalp, and the sound of impossible voices in his ears were
all he knew as he struggled slowly back to consciousness again. Even
then it still seemed a delusion,--for he was lying on a cot in his own
hospital, yet with officers of the division staff around him, and the
division commander himself standing by his side, and regarding him
with an air of grave but not unkindly concern. But the wounded man felt
instinctively that it was not the effect of his physical condition, and
a sense of shame came suddenly over him, which was not dissipated by
his superior's words. For, motioning the others aside, the major-general
leaned over his cot, and said,--
"Until a few moments ago, the report was that you had been captured
in the first rush of the rear-guard which we were rolling up for your
attack, and when you were picked up, just now, in plain clothes on the
slope, you were not recognized.
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