e loyalty from
you, Cranston."

"It is my loyalty to the regiment and my sense of justice that refuse to
be blinded by you, Devers. I cannot reconcile Mr. Davies's story with
your report, and I do not see how Archer could, if indeed he ever saw
Davies's story or heard of it."

"Captain Cranston, your _protege_ may thank heaven that I haven't yet
preferred charges against him for that affair," said Devers, white with
passion.

"It has always been my belief, Captain Devers, that charges should have
been preferred, and the sooner that it is done the sooner will Davies be
cleared. I presume that you can want nothing further of me." And
Cranston walked calmly on.

And that evening the bride arrived. "The Parson's" classmates drove over
to the railway to meet the happy pair and escort them to the post. The
ladies, one and all, had done their best to brighten up the absent
Boynton's quarters so as to make a fitting habitation for the new-comers
to their ranks. The officers had passed the word, as was the expression,
to keep from Davies, for the present at least, all mention of these
affairs in which his name was involved. Somebody at division
head-quarters must have had an eye on the situation, for there came a
letter from a trusted aide of the lieutenant-general to old "Pegleg"
reminding him of the gratitude we all owed the young man's noble father,
and bidding him lend a helping hand to Davies, and see that his life
wasn't made a burden to him by his troop commander. The general
evidently knew of Devers's idiosyncrasies, but Mrs. Devers herself came
early to join the circle of helping hands, and announced that she would
be there to welcome the bride to her temporary nest; and she was there
in the crisp, cold starlight when the ambulance with its spanking team
drove briskly into the big quadrangle, and in warm furs and happy
blushes and half-shy delight, a very pretty girl was lifted from the
dark interior and presented to the little knot of hospitable friends
awaiting her coming.

CHAPTER XII.

Within the week of their arrival, thanks to the energetic movements of
Mr. Davies, the new couple were established in Number 12, the outermost
of the long row of officers' quarters, the one nearest the open prairie
and farthest from the official and social centre of the post, but the
best they could hope for on the rank of a junior lieutenant in a crowded
garrison. Even this roost was not to be entirely their own, for