nd make off to a
neighbouring tavern, where gambling and drinking went on into the early
morning hours.

Heppner ground his teeth as he bowed beneath this uneasy yoke; but
there was no help for him. He already owed Trautvetter more than a
thousand marks; and the one-year volunteer now became less willing to
lend, and caused the sergeant-major endless vexation and trouble. He
would suddenly demand to be made corporal, or to be given a couple of
weeks' leave: demands which it was quite impossible to grant. But if
Heppner pointed this out to him, he would flourish the notes-of-hand
under the sergeant-major's nose and threaten to lay them before
Wegstetten.

Heppner could think of no other way of escape than the chance of a
sudden stroke of luck. Of course, however, he needed money in order to
go on playing. He himself had no more, and nobody would lend to him.

At last he fell back on the cash-box of the battery. From time to time
he replaced a portion of what he had taken, but the deficit
nevertheless became greater and greater.

One morning, in the beginning of August, Wegstetten said to
him: "Sergeant Heppner, have the one-year volunteers paid their
board-money?"

"Yes, sir."

"All right. Then get your cash-box ready for settling up accounts. I am
just going over to headquarters, and you can have the money and the
books for me when I return."

Heppner hardly had the strength to reply with the usual "Very good,
sir."

More than a hundred marks was missing from the box. Time pressed;
Wegstetten might be back again in half an hour.

He went to find Heimert. Heimert was no friend to him, he knew; but he
had always been a good comrade.

The deputy sergeant-major was away at the big parade-ground with the
pioneers. That was half-an-hour's distance.

Trautvetter, where was Trautvetter?

At last he discovered him in the canteen.

"Trautvetter, you must lend me a hundred marks!" said the
sergeant-major breathlessly.

"Must?" asked the one-year volunteer sarcastically. "Must? Not if I
know it!"

Heppner had dragged him out of the canteen into the empty vestibule.

"Yes, yes, you must, Trautvetter!" he repeated.

Trautvetter now perceived the disturbed mien of the sergeant-major.
Something very particular must have happened, that was clear; and in
such case he could not refuse to help. For it was no part of his plan
to push this man to extremity.

"What's up?" he asked.

Heppner murmured, with some co