since he _had_ declined, and so, snubbed any one who
strove to extract information. Most of the senior lieutenants were on
detached service when they came in from Arizona. Everybody thought
Stryker would get the detail as soon as he returned from abroad, whither
he had gone on leave after making, as mountain scout leader, the best
four years' record in the regiment; but Stryker came just as Billings
did, and to Billings, not Stryker, was the adjutancy tendered. What made
the regiment indignant was, that so far from being in the least put out
about it, Stryker placidly remarked that Billings was the very man for
the place. "He isn't entitled to it," said the --th; "in ten years'
service he hasn't spent ten months with us." But Stryker did not see fit
to tell them what he knew and the colonel knew,--that he had been
tendered and had accepted the position of aide-de-camp to his old
Arizona chief, and was daily awaiting orders to join; and Ray was off
scouting with his troop when Billings reached headquarters, and had to
face, as he supposed, an opposition. Stannard was the only man who
really knew very much about him as a cavalry officer, and Stannard's
opinion was what brought it all about. They had served for some months
at the same post, and both the major and his clear-sighted wife had
taken a fancy to the young officer, whose first appearance in "citified
garb and a _pince-nez_" gave little promise of future usefulness in the
field. Pelham and Stannard knew that it _had_ to be Billings or a second
lieutenant, but Billings had at first no such intimation. Possibly his
strong sense of self-esteem might have stood in the way of acceptance
had he supposed that he was merely a last resort. Stannard really hoped
he would be the appointee, but all he would say to the colonel when
asked for his opinion was, "I have had less to find fault with in him
than any officer who ever served in my troop; but then he was only with
me six months or so. _I_ like him," which was tantamount to saying
others probably wouldn't. But Stannard and Billings were firm friends,
as anybody could see, and the colonel was quick to note that when
Stannard had given Billings anything to do, he bothered himself no
further about the matter, instead of going along and supervising as was
his wont with most of the others. "If he's good enough for Stannard,
he'll do for me," was the colonel's comment, and when Billings sought to
decline the appointment offered,