he would lend me, and if there was
anything he could do for me that a gentleman _could_ do, not to hesitate
about asking. Damn his impudence!"

Poor Buxton! One of his idiosyncrasies was to talk wisely to the juniors
on the subject of European campaigns and to criticise the moves of
generals whose very names and centuries were entangling snares. His own
subalterns were, unfortunately for him, at the house when Hayne called,
and when he, as was his wont, began to expound on current military
topics. "A little learning," even, he had not, and the dangerous thing
that that would have been was supplanted by something quite as bad, if
not worse. He was trapped and thrown by the quiet-mannered infantry
subaltern, and it was all Messrs. Freeman and Royce could do to restrain
their impulse to rush after Hayne and embrace him. Buxton was cordially
detested by his "subs" and well knew they would tell the story of his
defeat, so he made a virtue of necessity and came out with his own
version. Theirs was far more ludicrous, and, while it made Mr. Hayne
famous, he gained another enemy. The ----th could not fail to notice how
soon after that all social recognition ceased between their bulky
captain and the pale, slender subaltern; and Mrs. Buxton and Mrs. Rayner
became suddenly infatuated with each other, while their lords were
seldom seen except together.

All this time, however, Miss Travers was making friends throughout the
garrison. No one ever presumed to discuss the Hayne affair in her
presence, because of her relationship to the Rayners; and yet Mrs.
Waldron had told several people how delightfully she and Mr. Hayne had
spent an afternoon together. Did not Mrs. Rayner declare that Mrs.
Waldron was a woman who told everything she knew, or words to that
effect? It is safe to say that the garrison was greatly interested in
the story. How strange it was that he should have had a _tete-a-tete_
with the sister of his bitterest foe! _When_ did they meet? Had they met
since? Would they meet again? All these were questions eagerly
discussed, yet never asked of the parties themselves, Mr. Hayne's
reputation for snubbing people standing him in excellent stead, and Miss
Travers's quiet dignity and reserve of manner being too much for those
who would have given a good deal to gain her confidence. But there was
Mrs. Rayner. She, at least, with all her high and mighty ways, was no
unapproachable creature when it came to finding out what she