sitancy and proper regret.

"I feared that he might have been recalled, or his going arrested by
orders from division headquarters, or from Fort Leavenworth. Some things
with regard to the purchase of one lot of horses, of which I
disapproved, were being looked into when I came away, and when----Well,
colonel, it is against the rule of our regiment, to talk to outsiders of
one another" ("Like--ahem!" was old Whaling's muttered comment as he
recalled what he had heard of Gleason's revelations at the store), "and
I would not allude to this but that, as commanding officer, you will be
sure to hear of it all. You see the principal dealer with whom we did
business is a brother-in-law of Mr. Ray's,--a fellow named
Rallston,--and some of his horses wouldn't pass muster anywhere;
but--well, Ray was with him day after day, and kept aloof from Buxton
and myself, and there was some money transaction between them, and
there's been a row. At the last moment Rallston came to me to complain
that he had been cheated, and what I'm afraid of is that Ray promised to
secure the acceptance of a lot of worthless horses by the board for some
five hundred dollars cash advanced him by Rallston. He was hot about it,
and swore he would bring matters to General Sheridan's notice instantly.
That is what made me so guarded in the reply I sent you. I owe you this
explanation, colonel, but trust you will consider it confidential."

Whaling looked greatly discomposed but unquestionably interested. He
eyed Gleason sharply and took it all in without a word.

"I thought some of his letters might have been from Leavenworth," said
Gleason, after a pause.

"One of them was,--that is, I think I saw the office mark,--but nothing
official has reached me on the matter. I'm sorry to hear it, very; for
both your colonel and Major Stannard spoke in highest terms of Mr. Ray
when they were here."

"Oh, Ray has done good service and all that sort of thing, but when a
fellow of his age gets going downhill with debts and drinking and
cards--well, you know how it has been in your own regiment, colonel."

"He don't look like a drinking man," said the colonel. "I never saw
clearer eyes or complexion in any fellow."

"Ye-es; he looks unusually well just now."

And just at that moment as they stood there talking of him, Mrs.
Stannard's door opened and he came forth, the three ladies following. He
did look well,--more than well, as he turned with extended hand to say