noline, or sprinkled it with powder, to keep it soft and smooth;
she spread a perfumed emollient on her hands, afterwards drawing on
gloves to prevent them from losing their whiteness with rough work. But
to-night she merely loosened her hair, and was between the sheets in a
trice.

Heimert lay sleepless. Hour after hour he heard strike; the short May
night seemed to him an eternity.

The woman beside him had sunk into a deep slumber. Now and then her
breathing quickened, and she gave almost a gasp, flinging herself about
as though in a troubled dream.

With the dawn of morning Heimert came to a decision. He would not allow
himself to believe in Albina's guilt. He had noticed that when Heppner
threw his arm around her she had shrunk from him. (This was true
enough; Albina had winced; but it was on account of her artistically
dressed hair.) She had submitted, he forced himself to think, in the
paralysis of surprise. In such a case Heppner, no doubt, would have
scolded his wife for not confessing. By right she ought certainly to
have told her husband. But Heimert found a thousand excuses for her.
Albina knew his jealousy, and desired, possibly, to avoid scandal,
which would have been inevitable had she told him. Or perhaps she would
speak to him about it after she had thought it over quietly by herself.
Or, again, she might intend to deal with the sergeant-major in her own
way. Or, once more, perhaps she was just beginning to yield to the
temptation.

That was as might be. Anyhow, the affront was there: his wife had been
insulted, and he, Heimert, must obtain satisfaction. He would set about
it quite quietly, so as to avoid the gossip; but between men such an
injury must mean a duel.

The officers always acted on that principle, and what was right for
them must be right for the non-coms., who also wore swords at their
sides. But all the ceremonial of a court of honour and seconds was not
necessary among common folk like Heppner and himself. Alone, without
witnesses, as man to man they would fight it out.

Heimert thought at first of selecting swords as the weapons; but their
swords were not sharpened, and it might attract attention if he had
them put in order. Besides, he thought it more becoming to use pistols
when such a weighty matter as the honour of a husband was in question.

It was a piece of good luck that some years before he had picked up a
couple of live cartridges after a shooting-practice.

Now he h