an find me," and with these words he backed slowly to
the door, face to the panting and disordered foe.

"Finish this! you young hound, I'll finish you!" screamed Burleigh, as
he shook his clinched fist at the retiring pair.

"Go, boys, go!" implored Folsom. "I'll see you by and by. No--no--sit
still, Burleigh. Don't you speak. This must stop right here."

And so the old man's counsels prevailed, and the two friends, with
grave, pallid, but determined faces, came out into the sunshine, and
with much deliberation and somewhat ostentatious calm proceeded to where
the orderly waited with the horses.

"You will see--the ladies out to camp, Loomis?" asked Dean. "I must
gallop on ahead."

"Ay, ay, go on, I reckon----"

But on this scene there suddenly appeared a third party, in the partial
guise of an officer and the grip of Bacchus. Lurching down the office
steps, with flushed face and bloodshot eyes, came Captain Newhall.

"Gen'l'm'n," said he thickly, "le'm 'ntroduce m'self. Haven't th' honor
y'r 'quain's. I'm Ca'm New(hic)'ll. Cap'n N-n-(hic)oohaul (this cost
prodigious effort and much balancing), an'--an' you sherv'd that f'ler
per-per-flicky ri'. He's dam scoun'rl--gen'lemen--an' ole frien' mine."

For an instant he stood swaying unsteadily, with half-extended hand. For
an instant the two young officers gazed at him in contempt, then turned
abruptly away.

"Good Lord, Marshall," said Loomis, as they cleared the gate, "if that's
the only approbation this day's work will bring us what will the results
be? You served him right, no doubt, but--" and an ominous shake of the
head wound up the sentence.

"But or no but," said Dean, "it's done now, and I'd do it again."

There was no dinner party at Folsom's that evening. At two a messenger
trotted out to the post with a note for Miss Folsom to apprise her of
the fact, and without a word or change of color she put it into her
pocket. The garrison girls were bent on having them spend the afternoon,
but presently Miss Folsom found a moment in which to signal to Jess, and
at three they were driving home.

"You will surely come out this evening and hear the music and have a
dance," were the parting salutations, as with skillful hands the young
girl took up the reins.

"We hope to," was her smiling answer. Jess was clinging to her brother's
hand as he stood by the wheel, and Loomis had already clambered in
beside her.

"Please come, Marshall," pleaded Jessie; but he