ur
adversary's people are very influential, you know, and it looks bad
enough on the face of it. The general had to take notice of their
complaint at once. I don't think he means to be over-severe with you.
It's the best thing for you to be kept out of sight for a while."

"I am very much obliged to the general," muttered Lieut. Feraud through
his teeth. "And perhaps you would say I ought to be grateful to you,
too, for the trouble you have taken to hunt me up in the drawing-room of
a lady who--"

"Frankly," interrupted Lieut. D'Hubert, with an innocent laugh, "I think
you ought to be. I had no end of trouble to find out where you were.
It wasn't exactly the place for you to disport yourself in under the
circumstances. If the general had caught you there making eyes at the
goddess of the temple . . . oh, my word! . . . He hates to be bothered
with complaints against his officers, you know. And it looked uncommonly
like sheer bravado."

The two officers had arrived now at the street door of Lieut. Feraud's
lodgings. The latter turned towards his companion. "Lieut. D'Hubert," he
said, "I have something to say to you, which can't be said very well in
the street. You can't refuse to come up."

The pretty maid had opened the door. Lieut. Feraud brushed past her
brusquely, and she raised her scared and questioning eyes to Lieut.
D'Hubert, who could do nothing but shrug his shoulders slightly as he
followed with marked reluctance.

In his room Lieut. Feraud unhooked the clasp, flung his new dolman on
the bed, and, folding his arms across his chest, turned to the other
hussar.

"Do you imagine I am a man to submit tamely to injustice?" he inquired,
in a boisterous voice.

"Oh, do be reasonable!" remonstrated Lieut. D'Hubert.

"I am reasonable! I am perfectly reasonable!" retorted the other
with ominous restraint. "I can't call the general to account for his
behaviour, but you are going to answer me for yours."

"I can't listen to this nonsense," murmured Lieut. D'Hubert, making a
slightly contemptuous grimace.

"You call this nonsense? It seems to me a perfectly plain statement.
Unless you don't understand French."

"What on earth do you mean?"

"I mean," screamed suddenly Lieut. Feraud, "to cut off your ears to
teach you to disturb me with the general's orders when I am talking to a
lady!"

A profound silence followed this mad declaration; and through the open
window Lieut. D'Hubert heard the little birds sin