WYLDER'S SAJVX).
153
And Jim Dutton entered the room, and, closing the
door, made at the side of the bed his reverence, consist-
ing of a nod and a faint pluck at the lock of hair over his
forehead.
Now Stanley Lake had, perhaps, expected to Bee some
one else; for though this was a very respectable-looking
fellow for his walk in life, the gay young officer stared
full at him, with a frightened and rather dreadful counten-
ance, and actually sprang from his bed at the other side,
with an ejaculation at once tragic and blasphemous.
The man plainly had not expected to produce any such
result, and looked very queer. Perhaps he thought some-
thing had occurred to affect his personal appearance; per-
haps some doubt about the Captain's state of health, and
I misgiving as to delirium tremens may have flickered over
his brain.
They were staring at one another across the bed, the
Captain in his shirt.
At last the gallant officer seemed to discover things as
they were.
"And so it is you, Jim," said the Captain. "And
how do you do — quite well, Jim — and out of place?
You've been hurt in the foot, eh? so old — your — Mrs.
Dutton tells me, but that won't signify. I was dreaming
when you came in; not quite awake yet, hardly; just
wait a bit till I get my slippers on; and this " — So into
his red slippers he slid, and got his great shawl dressing-
gown, about his slender person, and greeted Jim Dutton
'again in very friendly fashion, enquiring very particular-
ly how he had been ever since, and what his mother was
doing; and I'm afraid not listening to Jim's answers as
attentively as one might have expected.
Whatever may have been his intrinsic worth, Jim was
not polished, and spoke, moreover, an uncouth dialect,