ngry
tones, though this time the lieutenant glanced about, as though to see
if others were within earshot. There was no one, apparently, and he grew
more confident. "You've been drinking again to-day, Merrick; you're not
sober now; and I won't give you money to get maudlin and go to blabbing
secrets on. No, sir! Go back to your quarters, and stay there."

The little soldier must indeed have been drinking, as the lieutenant
declared. Armitage saw that he hesitated, instead of obeying at once,
and that his flushed face was angrily working, then that he was arguing
with his superior and talking louder. This was contrary to all the
captain's ideas of proper discipline, even though he was indignant at
the officer for permitting himself to be placed in so false and
undignified a position. Jerrold's words, too, had acquired a wide
significance; but they were feeble as compared with the sudden outburst
that came from the soldier's lips:

"By God, lieutenant, you bribed me to silence to cover your tracks, and
then you refuse to pay. If you don't want me to tell what I know, the
sooner you pay that money the better."

This was more than Armitage could stand. He went down-stairs three at a
jump and out through the colonel's garden with quick, impetuous steps.
Jerrold's furious face turned ashen at the sight, and Merrick, with one
amazed and frightened look at his captain, faced about and slunk
silently away. To him Armitage paid no further attention. It was to the
officer he addressed himself:

"Mr. Jerrold, I have heard pretty much all this conversation. It simply
adds to the evil report with which you have managed to surround
yourself. Step into your quarters. I must see you alone."

Jerrold hesitated. He was thunderstruck by the sudden appearance of the
captain whom he had believed to be hundreds of miles away. He connected
his return unerringly with the web of trouble which had been weaving
about him of late. He conceived himself to have been most unjustly spied
upon and suspected, and was full of resentment at the conduct of Captain
Chester. But Chester was an old granny, who sometimes made blunders and
had to back down. It was a different thing when Armitage took hold.
Jerrold looked sulkily into the clear, stern, blue eyes a moment, and
the first impulse of rebellion wilted. He gave one irresolute glance
around the quadrangle, then motioned with his hand to the open door.
Something of the old, jaunty, Creole lightness