speak to him. Tell him if possible to step in here for half an
hour before he goes to town."

"At your orders, Herr First Lieutenant."

Borgert stepped back to his chamber, finished dressing, and then went
into the adjoining room.

Sure enough, there stood his coffee, but cold as ice. In that case
Roese must have been before him in the room. Well, a drubbing or two
would do the fellow no harm. That was good for preserving discipline
and a respect for his superiors, even if now and then it should be
applied not exactly at the right moment.

On his desk were lying several letters. Three of them contained bills,
and the fourth was from his father. The three he threw unopened into
the fire, and the fourth he read as follows:

MY DEAR SON,--With growing concern I have seen from your
last letter that you had again to incur large expenditures
which harass you because you had not counted on them. Much
as my desire would be to let you have the money you ask,
with the best intentions it is not possible to do so. You
know best how closely I have to economize to make both ends
meet. If seventy-five marks would be any object to you, I
could let you have them, although I had promised your mother
this money for a new dress of which she stands in much need.

But I must frankly confess to you that I do not see why you
should not be able to meet all your legitimate expenses with
your pay and the two hundred marks allowance per month. At
your age I did not have more than that myself, and yet I was
able to undertake an extended trip every year. I give you
the well-meant advice to live for a time a little more apart
from your comrades, in order to reduce your expenses. Employ
yourself diligently at home--there is so much to learn in
your profession nowadays--and avoid carefully every
opportunity which would force you into needless outlay which
you would subsequently not be able to meet. Make your scale
of living correspond to your income. If you will openly
declare that this or that is too costly for you, every one
will respect you the more, for they will see that you are
not spending beyond your proper income. Do not live
carelessly, and shun those amusements which you cannot
afford. After all, it is both sensible and high-minded to
live within one's means.

Write to me soon how you have reg