s, too, with a rather loose hand on his
shekels. Lots of people may know it, though, mayn't they?"

"No, indeed, not down here," said Sam. "It only came out in New York
within the last four months, and hasn't been South or West at all, that
I know of. What did he look like?"

"Well, what did the feller that was with you look like?"

But here Sam's description grew vague. So Pepper went up to have a beer
by himself at the _cafe chantant_ on Chartres Street, and didn't return
for nearly a week.

Meantime came this exquisite April morning and Sam's appearance in the
pony-phaeton in front of Battery "X." Even the horses seemed to prick up
their ears and be glad to see him. Grim old war sergeants rode up to
touch their caps and express the hope that they'd soon have the
lieutenant in command of the right section again,--"not but what
Loot'n't Ferry's doing first-rate, sir,"--and for a few minutes, as his
fair charioteer drove him around the battery, in his weak, languid
voice, Waring indulged in a little of his own characteristic chaffing:

"I expect you to bring this section up to top notch, Mr. Ferry, as I am
constitutionally opposed to any work on my own account. I beg to call
your attention, sir, to the fact that it's very bad form to appear with
full-dress _schabraque_ on your horse when the battery is in fatigue.
The red blanket, sir, the red blanket only should be used. Be good
enough to stretch your traces there, right caisson. Yes, I thought so,
swing trace is twisted. Carelessness, Mr. Ferry, and indifference to
duty are things I won't tolerate. Your cheek-strap, too, sir, is an inch
too long. Your bit will fall through that horse's mouth. This won't do,
sir, not in my section, sir. I'll fine you a box of Partagas if it
occurs again."

But the blare of the bugle sounding "attention" announced the presence
of the battery commander. Nell whipped up in an instant and whisked her
invalid out of the way.

"Good-morning, Captain Cram," said he, as he passed his smiling chief.
"I regret to observe, sir, that things have been allowed to run down
somewhat in my absence."

"Oh, out with you, you combination of cheek and incapacity, or I'll run
you down with the whole battery. Oh! Waring, some gentlemen in a
carriage have just stopped at your quarters, all in black, too. Ah,
here's the orderly now."

And the card, black-bordered, handed into the phaeton, bore a name which
blanched Waring's face:

+--------