Tom Drift had been through many trials you know nothing about, and out of those trials he had come broken in spirit and as humble as a child.

_You_ might have had more regard for appearances, perhaps, and controlled your emotion genteelly; but, as I have said before, Tom Drift was not anything like so strong-minded as you.

So he knelt there and sobbed; and Charlie, as he lay, took his hand into his own, and held it.
Presently he said, softly, "Tom!" Tom looked up and rose to his feet.
"What, old fellow ?" "Look here, Tom!" said Charlie, showing me.
At the sight of me, bruised and battered as I was, Tom's feelings overcame him again.

He seized me eagerly, and looked long and tenderly into my face; then his tears came again, and once more he sunk on his knees at Charlie's side and buried his face in his hands.
The place was getting dark.

The noise of voices outside and the distant roar of guns slowly died away; the guards for the night were called out, and one by one soldier and invalid fell asleep after their hard day's toil.