e in the public interest. He claims that on
account of his familiarity with things here he is much more valuable to
the Government here than he would be in the field."

"No doubt o' that," said Shorty. "He ain't worth a groan in the infernal
regions at the front. He only takes the place and eats the rations of
some man that might be of value."

"See here," said Wilson, pointing to a pile of letters and telegrams on
his desk. "These are protests against Billings being superseded and sent
away. More are coming in all the time. They are worrying the General
like everything, for he wants to do the right thing. But I know that
they all come from a ring of fellows around here who sell whisky and
slop-shop goods to the soldiers, and skin them alive, and are protected
by Billings. They're whacking up with him, and they want him to stay.
I'm sure of it, but I haven't any proof, and there's no use saying
anything to the General unless I've got the proof to back it."

"Wonder if I couldn't help git the proof," suggested Shorty, with his
sleuth instincts reviving.

"Just the man," said the Chief Clerk eagerly, "if you go about it right.
You're a stranger here, and scarcely anybody knows that you belong to
Headquarters. Get yourself back in the shape you were this morning, and
go out and try your luck. It'll just be bully if we can down this old
blowhard."

Shorty took off his belt and white gloves, unbuttoned his blouse,
and lounged down the street to the quarter where the soldiers most
congregated to be fleeced by the harpies gathered there as the best
place to catch men going to or returning from the front. Shorty soon
recognized running evil-looking shops, various kinds of games and
drinking dens several men who had infested the camps about Nashville and
Murfreesboro until the Provost-Marshal had driven them away.

"Billings has gathered all his old friends about him," said he to
himself. "I guess I'll find somebody here that I kin use."

"Hello, Injianny; what are you doin' here?" inquired a man in civilian
clothes, but unmistakably a gambler.

Shorty remembered him at once as the man with whom he had had the
adventure with the loaded dice at Murfreesboro. With the fraternity
of the class, neither remembered that little misadventure against the
other. They had matched their wits for a wrestle, and when the grapple
was over it was over.

Shorty therefore replied pleasantly:

"O, jest loafin' back here, gittin' well o