ried forth, and Barker almost collided with them.

"Oh, good evening, Miss Kate! Good evening, Miss Arnold!" was his
embarrassed greeting. Then, with attempt at jocularity for which he
later could have kicked himself: "I'm just in time to see you home, and
head off hobgoblins and hoboes." No wonder the two walked the faster and
gave but perfunctory replies.

"Indeed, I beg pardon," he blundered on. "I'm just bound for Lanier's.
Any message?"

"You might say we wish him speedy deliverance," answered Kate Sumter,
with unlooked-for spirit and effect, for the adjutant, in dismay at his
own awkwardness, darted swiftly ahead, shouting, "Hold on, Steve!" to an
officer with whom he would rather not have wasted a moment's time.

Indeed, poor Barker was sore distressed. He could not help hearing
scraps of the talk that had passed at the office between the colonel,
Snaffle, Crane, and certain summoned enlisted men, Fitzroy, Cassidy, and
Quinlan among them. Even that poor devil who had been on duty Friday
night as sentry on Number Five had been marched into the awful presence
of the commanding officer, and ordered to tell who gave him the whiskey
that had been his undoing--even promising immunity from punishment; but
he was Irish and true to his faith and his friends, even they who had
betrayed him, and he'd die first, he said. Never would he "sphlit on the
best feller in the foort."

And Barker had heard many things that pointed to Lanier--so many that
his heart seemed to stop as he entered the door, and sank at sight of
the trouble in the face of the young soldier sitting there in conference
with Ennis and Doctor Schuchardt.

Silently Lanier heard the summons. There was no reason why he should
not go, said the doctor. "The air will do you good," he added, "and
we'll be here when you come back."

Five minutes sufficed to reset the bandages and get him into his furs.
Ten minutes more and, for the first time since Friday evening, the
accused officer stood in the presence of his colonel, with three tried
and trusted comrades near to see him through.

"Mr. Lanier," said Button presently, "I have sent for you in deference
to the sentiment in your behalf, entertained by officers of such
standing in the army as these gentlemen who are here present. I am free
to say that I have had grave reasons for forming a most unfavorable
opinion of your conduct, even of your character. It has been my
intention to forward charges of a serious