family
pictures. There was but one that interested him, and this he examined
intently, almost excitedly. It represented a little girl of nine or ten
years,--Alice, undoubtedly,--with her arms clasped about the neck of a
magnificent St. Bernard dog and looking up into the handsome features of
a tall, slender, dark-eyed, black-haired boy of sixteen or thereabouts;
and the two were enough alike to be brother and sister. Who, then, was
this boy?

Armitage took the photograph to the window and studied it carefully.
Parade was over, and the troops were marching back to their quarters.
The band was playing gloriously as it came tramping into the quadrangle,
and the captain could not but glance out at his own old company as in
compact column of fours it entered the grassy diamond and swung off
towards the barracks. He saw a knot of officers, too, turning the corner
by the adjutant's office, and for a moment he lowered the album to look.
Mr. Jerrold was not of the number that came sauntering up the walk,
dropping away by ones or twos as they reached their doors and unbuckled
their belts or removed their helmets in eager haste to get out of the
constraint of full dress. But in another moment Jerrold, too, appeared,
all alone, walking rapidly and nervously. Armitage watched him, and
could not but see how other men turned away or gave him the coolest
possible nod as he passed. The tall, slender lieutenant was handsomer
even than when he last saw him; and yet there was gloom and worry on the
dark beauty of his face. Nearer and nearer he came, and had passed the
quarters of the other officers and was almost at the door of his own,
when Armitage saw a little, wiry soldier in full dress uniform running
across the parade as though in pursuit. He recognized Merrick, one of
the scapegraces of his company, and wondered why he should be chasing
after his temporary commander. Just as Jerrold was turning under the
piazza the soldier seemed to make himself heard, and the lieutenant,
with an angry frown on his face, stopped and confronted him.

"I told you not to come to me again," he said, so loud that every word
was audible to the captain standing by the open window above. "What do
you mean, sir, by following me in this way?"

The reply was inaudible. Armitage could see the little soldier standing
in the respectful position of "attention," looking up and evidently
pleading.

"I won't do it until I'm ready," was again heard in Jerrold's a