up with
a minute." When Mrs. McGann said "the meejor" she meant not Flint, but
his predecessor. There was but one major in her world,--the one she
treated like a minor. Being a soldier's wife, however, she knew the
deference due to the commanding officer, even though she did not choose
to show it, and when bidden to say her say and tell what things "was
goin' on" Mistress McGann asseverated, with the asperity of a woman who
has had to put her husband to bed two nights running, that the time had
never been before that he was so drunk he didn't know his way home, and
so got into the back of the bachelor quarters instead of his own. "And
to think av his bein' propped up at his own gate by a lousy, frog-eatin'
half Frinchman, half salvage!" Yet, when investigated, this proved to be
the case, and the further question arose, where did McGann get his
whiskey? A faithful, loyal devoted old servitor was McGann, yet Webb, as
we have seen, had ever to watch his whiskey carefully lest the Irishman
should see it, and seeing taste, and tasting fall. The store had orders
from Mrs. McGann, countersigned by Webb, to the effect that her husband
was never to have a drop. Flint was a teetotaller himself, and noted
without a shadow of disapprobation that the decanters on the sideboard
were both empty the very day he took possession, also that the cupboard
was securely locked. Mrs. McGann was sure her liege got no liquor there
nor at the store, and his confused statement that it was given him by
"fellers at the stables," was treated with scorn. McGann then was still
under marital surveillance and official displeasure the day after Mrs.
McGann's revelations, with unexplained iniquities to answer for when his
head cleared and his legs resumed their functions. But by that time
other matters were brought to light that laid still further accusation
at his door. With the consent of Dr. Waller, Lieutenant Field had been
allowed to send an attendant for his desk. There were letters, he said,
he greatly wished to see and answer, and Mrs. Ray had been so kind as to
offer to act as his amanuensis. The attendant went with the key and came
back with a scared face. Somebody, he said, had been there before him.

They did not tell Field this at the time. The doctor went at once with
the messenger, and in five minutes had taken in the situation. Field's
rooms had been entered and probably robbed. There was only one other
occupant of the desolate set that so