smate of yours, and, to put it flatly, I'm no more his friend that
he is yours. I'll say good-night." Whereupon this blunt official turned
and quit the room, colliding at the door with an entering form, that of
Strong, whose impact added to the quartermaster's distemper, for Strong
was in a hurry, and half-savage mood.

"Doctor," said he, bolting in, with scant apology to his staggered
fellow staff officer, "Craney wants to know if you're coming down
to-night. He's worried a bit about Case."

"What's the matter with Case?" asked Bentley, barely looking up from
the final tie of the sling, while Harris settled back in his chair.

"That's what he wants to ask _you_. I don't know, except he says Case
hasn't slept for six nights, and he'll be wild as a hawk when the
paymaster gets here; wants you to give him something to make him sleep,
I believe. I told him I'd tell you, and now the general's shooting off
his quill at the office. Hope you're better, Harris. Good-night."

"Reckon I'll have to go down awhile, anyhow. Harris, what Bucketts said
was true, though he oughtn't to have said it. Willett has been playing
late these last two nights, with Watts, principally, but Craney says he
seemed oddly anxious to get Case into the game, and Case wouldn't
play--wouldn't stay about the place while Willett was there--wouldn't
have anything to do with him. Willett has lost quite a lot, I'm told,
and now he's ordered off."

Harris was still silent. He had no love for Willett, at best. He had
had in their cadet days more reasons than one for his dislike. He had
far more reason now, yet never dreamed of still another--that report to
department head-quarters. But Willett was his classmate, and,
outwardly, they were friends. Bentley and, in fact, all the officers at
Almy were new-found acquaintances, well as some few were known to him
by reputation. Still, it came to him something of a shock that Hal
Willett should no sooner seem well enough to be about than he should
turn directly from her good-night words--her kiss, perhaps--to the
gambling table and its probable accompaniments. It boded ill for the
happiness of that sweet girl's future, and as Harris sat brooding,
Bentley, unheard, unnoted, slipped away, and presently, with brisk step
and buoyant mien, Hal Willett himself came bounding in. Barely ten
minutes ago Bucketts had given the impression that he seemed dejected,
dispirited, yet Willett now was confidence and energy personifie