ROBERT: Eh, Matty? (MARTHA shakes her head.) No, guess not, captain, thank you so much.

(KENNEDY ties ROBERT securely, and leaves him lying on the veranda near the table. KENNEDY runs out at the right a moment, returning with his carbine. LIEUTENANT RICE and the troopers who have been searching for ROBERT all enter while he is being bound, and then go out at the right. JOSIAH goes into the house. The stage is left with ROBERT, lying on the veranda with his eyes closed, KENNEDY pacing up and down in front of him, MARTHA standing half hidden in the doorway, and CAPTAIN CHADWICK at the front and right. GENERAL KING enters; he does not see MARTHA.) GENERAL KING: Understand you got him again, captain?

CAPTAIN CHADWICK: Yes, general.

GENERAL KING: Well, see that you keep that sentry over him all the time, and don't let the sister get hold of him and bamboozle him, the way she did you. They're putting my tent up behind here (pointing out at the right) if you want me. Sentry, (to KENNEDY), if that young woman tries any burned finger games on you, you laugh at her, and stay on your post, do you hear? (GENERAL KING goes out, right.)

MARTHA: (coming from the doorway and moving down beside CAPTAIN CHADWICK) I'm afraid the General is very angry with me for deceiving you, captain.

CAPTAIN CHADWICK: (stiffly) Nor, if you will pardon my saying so, do I blame him.

MARTHA: Oh, Captain Chadwick, how can you (showing symptoms of coming tears) think ill of me for using a little deceit to try to free my brother? Oh, unkind!

CAPTAIN CHADWICK: Ah, really, I didn't mean to be unkind, Miss Pickering. Please don't, under any circumstances, cry. You were quite justified, and—oh, I don't care whether you tricked me or not.

MARTHA: Oh, thank you.

CAPTAIN CHADWICK: Besides, he didn't get away.
MARTHA: That's just the trouble.

CAPTAIN CHADWICK: Never mind. General King won't treat him badly, and I'll tell you why.

MARTHA: Well, why?

CAPTAIN CHADWICK: Because he likes you.

MARTHA Horsehair King likes me?

CAPTAIN CHADWICK: He certainly does; I never saw him treat anyone

so well before, not the first time he met them.

MARTHA: Oh, how awfully horrid he must be to other folks.

CAPTAIN CHADWICK: Yes, he is. (4 pause.) Miss Pickering, (in a very serious tone) I overheard what you said to General King about court martial; I want to say—

MARTHA: (interrupting.) Oh, Robert's asleep.

CAPTAIN CHADWICK: I'm very glad, I'm sure. But, Miss Pickering, I want to say

MARTHA: Well, come inside and say it, then, where Mr. Kennedy won't hear. (They go into the house, leaving KENNEDY pacing up and down in front of ROBERT, who is now snoring slightly. It is growing darker. It is some time before CAPTAIN CHADWICK and MARTHA appear in the doorway.)

CAPTAIN CHADWICK: Yes, in a moment. (He runs out at the right. MARTHA goes back into the house. GENERAL KING enters hurriedly from the right.)

back.

oner.

GERERAL. KING: (eagerly) Where's Captain Chadwick?

KENNEDY: Just went toward the camp, sir. I think he's coming right

GENERAL KING: Run and get him for me, quick. I'll mind your pris

(KENNEDY goes out right, leaving the general standing at the front of the stage. In a moment MARTHA appears in the doorway.)

MARTHA: General!

(GENERAL KING looks toward her. As he does so she runs across the veranda toward him. In passing the horseblock, however, she trips, and falls with a cry. The general hastens to her.)

GENERAL KING: Are you hurt?

MARTHA: Oh, yes, my ankle!

GENERAL KING: Sprained, I suppose.

MARTHA: (groaning) I'm afraid so.

GENERAL KING: Lie still, then. I'll run and get our doctor. He's just beyond my tent.

(The general runs out at the right. No sooner has he gone than MARTHA jumps up, and runs to ROBERT. As she bends over him, she draws a small clasp-knife from the folds of her dress.)

MARTHA: Wake up, Robert. Robert!

(She cuts the cords around his wrists, and he sits up. CAPTAIN CHADWICK comes running in from the right. around.)

CAPTAIN CHADWICK: What the devil! Why, stop-
MARTHA: Sh!

At this moment,
MARTHA turns

(She turns back to ROBERT, but CAPTAIN CHADWICK runs forward and seizes her wrist. MARTHA jumps up and whispers in his ear. The captain shakes his head once or twice, saying “No!" sharply; then he appears perplexed, spreading out his hands, all the time with his eyes fixed closely on MARTHA; at last he turns toward the door.)

CAPTAIN CHADWICK: Really?

MARTHA: Yes. (She bends over ROBERT again.)

CAPTAIN CHADWICK: Giving them aid and comfort! (He goes into the house.. In a moment MARTHA finishes freeing ROBERT, who runs around the house to the left. Hardly has he gone when General KinG enters hastily.) GENERAL KING: Can't find the doctor, ma'am-Damnation! Sprained ankle! Burned finger! Orderly!

(CAPTAIN CHADWICK comes running out of the house.)

CAPTAIN CHADWICK: Prisoner's gone, general!

GENERAL KING: Can't I see he has, you fool? (The general runs off at right. A commotion is heard off the stage on that side; cries of "Orderly!”

from GENERAL KING, etc. CAPTAIN CHADWICK and MARTHA are left alone a moment. It has now grown almost dark. CAPTAIN CHADWICK seizes her in his arms a moment, just as KENNEDY runs in.)

KENNEDY: Captain! Captain!

The curtain falls..

S. A. Welldon.

THE UNREsigned.

"I do but sing because I must," he cried,
Who in the stately sadness of his lay
Brought back the gleam of red departed day

To shine upon the bier he glorified.

But even this sweetness is to me denied ;
And with no hope of meeting can I pray
For some dear soul that waits me far away,
Nor sleep my long sleep by a loving side.

Nor yet like him have I won out of pain
The music that transcends the suffering;
Nor seen the clear fresh face of far-off Spring
Shine through the spaces of Autumnal rain.
Nor have I felt contentment's quiet breath
Drift from the dim pale chambers of Love's death.
Arthur Davison Ficke.

THREE YEARS OR FOUR?

To each of the several hundred Freshmen who are now entering Harvard College, this question sooner or later presents itself: "Will I graduate in three years or in four?" So much depends upon the answer that one might reasonably expect the official publications of the university to present a just and detailed statement of the respective advantages of the two plans. The Freshman may easily learn such matters as the cost of living in Cambridge, the ways of getting scholarships or getting on probation, and the nature of the courses of study open to him. But even if he happen to be so singularly inquiring as to read the annual reports of the President and the Deans, and what Freshman ever does that?-he is more likely to be bewildered than enlightened in regard to the three-year plan. For he will find in one place the Board of Overseers speaking of "the system by which students of unusual diligence or marked mental capacity may obtain the degree of Bachelor of Arts in three years," and elsewhere the assurance that "any young man of fair abilities can now procure the degree in three years without hurry or overwork.” Here and there in the reports, indeed, may be found some arguments of advocates of the three-year system,-one being that the quicker a student passes through college, the quicker he may begin professional study or business; another, which certainly ought not to be allowed to hide its light under a bushel,-that earlier graduation means earlier marriage, and may thus avert the much-dreaded "race-suicide." In flippant moments such arguments seem like advertisements of an elixir of youth, guaranteed to make younger lawyers, younger doctors, and, last, but not least, younger husbands. Seriously speaking, however, it seems wrong that the little greencovered pamphlet containing extracts from the college catalogue,-a pamphlet to be found in every Freshman's room, and in other respects so useful to him, should contain no comparative estimate of the two plans, no word of warning that there is danger in the shorter course.