elf and the proverb, "a hero
in the eyes of his _valet de chambre_." Dennis had packed his boxes with
blinking eyes and a saddened heart. "He had wurrked," he said, "for
twinty gintlemin, most av thim foine men, but the looten'nt was the best
av all." Dennis had his wife and brood in a little shanty near the sand
lots, and could not follow Loring to the East. He would have howled with
delight to hear the order countermanded that was to take the lieutenant
away, but when he heard at headquarters, from his fellow-countrymen, the
janitor and the guard, that such a countermand had been issued in the
shape of an arrest, he swore with wrath. A good Catholic was Dennis,
and many a job had been given to him and his lusty helpmate at the gray
sisters, and a warm friend had they in the lady superior, to whom he
presently bore the note and the tale of his hero's unjustifiable
treatment. Then went he on his way, and came in upon Loring just in time
to hear the closing words of what had been probably a brief and frigid
conversation between the Engineer and the General's assiduous
aide-de-camp, Captain Petty. Frigid as it sounded the captain looked hot
enough as he took his leave, and collided with Dennis at the door,
damned him for being there; then whirled about for a parting shot. "I'll
report your exact language to the General, sir," said he, with anger in
his tone.

"Try to, at least," said Loring pointedly.

"I didn't come here to be insulted, sir!" said Petty fiercely.

"No, sir. You came here to insult," was the cool reply.

The aid went down the stairs with thundering heels and raging heart.
Such contemptuous _sang froid_ on part of an officer four years his
junior in service was something unheard of, something not to be
tolerated, and as Loring refused to budge from his position of calm
superiority, the only thing left for Petty was to leave. So far from
going to Yuma, he had progressed only to Monterey, and there spent two
or three days poking about the resorts around the plaza in search of
gossip that was rumored to be in circulation at Loring's expense. He
found the gossipers easily enough, but had greater difficulty in
reaching their authorities. It proved disheartening work, for the
further he went the less he learned--each tale bearer having apparently
added to the pile of his informant, as Petty should have had sense
enough to know would be the case. But at last he "lit" on something
tangible: The hardy giant who