"No. I have been dozing. How is he?"
"I have just come from the hospital. There is no concealing the fact,
my lad, that he is very bad; but let us hope it will not come to the
worst. Good night."
"Good night," I said, as he walked away; "however can it be a good night
for me again?"
Then, after a weary time, I rose, and began to walk up and down my
quarters with the question always before me--
"Suppose that man dies, what will you do?"
Very little sleep came to me that night, and at dawn I sent a man for
news, and my servant came back looking horrified.
"Oh, mastah!" he whispered, "dey say Private Smith going to die."