Do last man."

you hear me! As long as you are alive, fight to the One must have been present to understand with what cheers these words were received by the men thus despatched to certain death. These were not passive gladiators condemned to death against their will, and saluting their Cæsar; they were comrades in arms taking a last farewell of their favourite general, and conscious that their death was really necessary, that it would be the means of victory. It was a conscious sacrifice, and on that account all the more heroic, all the more noble. He was said not to love his men. But a soldier, like a child, cannot be cheated. The soldier knows perfectly who loves him, and who does not. Him who loves him he trusts, but who does not he has no confidence in, nor does he show him any remarkable affection. Nevertheless, there was no general so loved and trusted as was Skobeleff. Looking at his clear, determined blue eyes, his noble forehead, his firm mouth, which testified to his inflexible energy, the men could themselves see that when occasion wanted he could be pitiless and resolute. Nor can weak-nerved old women in uniforms be sympathetic to anyone. Skobeleff loved his men and manifested that love in his care for their welfare. His division, when commanded by him, was always clothed, shod, and fed under seemingly the most impossible conditions. To attain this object he stopped at nothing. After a desperate fight, he would throw himself fatigued on his bed to sleep. But three hours later he would be up. again. What for? To inspect the camp-kettles, and see what his men had for breakfast. No one hunted

But

down with such severity as he did the barbarians who cheated the soldiers of their food and starved them. Skobeleff trusted no one. He would satisfy his own eyes that every soldier had a pound and a half of meat in his kit, that he got as much bread as he wanted, and received his due allowance of corn-brandy. During the siege of Plevna his men even had tea. On meeting a soldier he would generally stop him and inquire:

"Have you had your tea to-day?"

Yes, your Excellency." "Morning and evening?"

"Do you receive your corn-brandy? Do you get your proper rations of meat?

And woe be to the captain of the company if these questions were met with a negative. In such cases Skobeleff knew no mercy, and would accept no justification.

As soon as a halt was made anywhere for a couple of days, ditches were dug for baths, and in the morning the soldiers washed in them. He contrived to construct baths in the trenches, and even established a musical choir there for the amusement of the men. When the Bulgarian winter commenced his men were without furs. Of course the commissariat had not given them a thought. What was to be done? It was most important to clothe at least the sentries and men on duty. There were no regimental funds wherewith to buy them in Roumania; Skobeleff himself was, as usual, also without money. There was nothing for it but

But the "Pasha," notwith

to apply to his father. But the

standing his good-nature, was miserly:

"I have no money. You are a spendthrift. Fancy clothing the men at my expense! Impossible."

A few days later Skobeleff learned that a Roumanian had brought several hundred fur coats to Bogotta. He at once ordered the baggage-waggons to fetch them, and himself galloped off to his father's quarters at Bogotta:

"Good morning, Father," he said, and kissed his hand.

"How much is it?" the father at once inquired, knowing well the meaning of this sudden filial affection.

"How much of what?"

"How much money is it you want? I can see through you. You are cleaned out again, I suppose.”

"What are you thinking of? I have even several thousands with me-help me to buy fur coats for my men. You know that I do not understand these things." The father's face was lighted up with a self-satisfied smile.

"Of course as though you understood anything! "How can I, without you? I am beginning to appreciate your counsels and advice in general."

The old man was quite thawed:

"Well, well, all right."

"No, really, without you I can do nothing."

The father got dressed, and they went off to the Roumanian merchant. For three hours they kept sorting and packing the furs. As soon as a waggon