all the rest. Take my advice
and run over home and go to bed. You forget you've the match on for
to-morrow; and I must say, not wanting to disturb you in the least, I
believe you're going to need all your nerve. There's Scotch on the
sideboard, but don't drink champagne."

The scene had lost interest to me. The lights had paled, the music was
less sweet.

Presently I strolled over to Number 16 and got Johnson to show me my
little room. But I did very little at the business of sleeping; and when
at last I slept I saw a long row of figures in alternate black and
white; and of these one wore a red rose and a gold comb with a jewel in
it, and her hair was very fragrant. I did not see Grace Sheraton in my
dreams. Clearly I reasoned it out to myself as I lay awake, that if I
had seen Ellen once, then indeed it were best for me I should never see
Ellen again!

CHAPTER X

THE SUPREME COURT

If remorse, mental or physical, affected any of the dwellers at
Jefferson Barracks on the morning following the officers' ball, at least
neither was in evidence. By noon all traces of the late festivities had
been removed from the parade ground, and the routine of the Post went on
with the usual mechanical precision. The Army had entertained, it now
labored. In a few hours it would again be ready to be entertained; the
next little event of interest being the pigeon match between Orme and
myself, which swift rumor seemed to have magnified into an importance
not wholly welcome to myself.

We had a late breakfast at Number 16, and my friend Stevenson, who was
to handle me in the match, saw to it that I had a hard tubbing before
breakfast and a good run afterward, and later a hearty luncheon with no
heavy wines. I was surprised at these business-like proceedings, which
were all new to me, and I reflected with no satisfaction that my
hot-headedness in accepting Orme's challenge might result in no glory to
myself, and worse than that, let in my friends for loss; for Stevenson
informed me that in spite of the fact that I had never shot in a race, a
number of wagers were backing me against the Englishman. I reasoned,
however, that these responsibilities should not be considered by one who
needed perfect command of himself. Moreover, although I had never shot
at trapped birds, I reasoned that a bird in the air was a flying bird
after all, whether from trap or tree. Then, again, I was offended at
Orme's air of superiority. Lastly, thou