Turner? For
instance, in Arizona the band was not mounted, the men had no stable
duty, and it was so hot in the daytime that they really had no duty to
perform but to play after dark when it was cool. Now, here they have
their horses, they have two parades each day; they practice every
morning, and play on the parade every afternoon; that, with morning and
evening stable duty, keeps them very busy, and don't you think Mr.
Billings is right?"

Now, all this was well understood by both Mrs. Turner and Mrs. Turner's
friends, and as put by Mrs. Stannard, the case was clearly in favor of
the bandsmen and the adjutant. Down in the depths of her consciousness
Mrs. Turner was well aware of the fact. She had gone over the fight with
her liege lord, the captain, more than once since the spring weather had
set in and the services of the band were in requisition several hours
each day. She knew perfectly well that there was no parallel in the
conditions existing in Arizona in Mr. Truscott's time and those of the
day in Kansas with Billings. Still, she wanted to contrast the men and
their methods, and, as is not unusual, pronounced the abstract statement
that "it wasn't so with Mr. Truscott. _Then_ we could have the band
night after night." She was only stating a fact, was her mental
justification, but that she was doing an injustice she would probably
have not admitted for an instant.

Mrs. Stannard, however, had seen through the argument, and in her
courteous way had shattered its effect. This put Mrs. Turner on her
mettle, and she half rose from the hammock.

"Don't for a moment think I mean to criticise Mr. Billings, Mrs.
Stannard; I really like him, _very_ much; only it's so poky not to have
the band now. The evenings are so lovely for dancing, and with so many
young officers here, it seems such a pity to waste so much time. They
are out drilling or shooting, or something, all day long, and who knows
but what they'll all be ordered off somewhere the next minute? Then we
can have the band all day and nobody to dance with. It's always the
way."

"Well, I like Mr. Billings, too," said Mrs. Raymond, eager to say
something pleasant of Mrs. Stannard's friend; "and Captain Raymond says
he is a very soldierly officer,--very military, I mean,--and knows his
duties so well, only we can't help contrasting him with Mr. Truscott.
Mr. Truscott was so dignified and calm and deliberate, while Mr.
Billings is a regular bunch of springs. T