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place and throw it into the cutand you with it。〃
Standish rose to his feet； and across the desk looked steadily at
Aintree。 To Aintree the steadiness of his eyes and the quietness
of his voice were an added aggravation。
〃Suppose you did；〃 said Standish； 〃that would not save you。〃
〃From what？〃 roared Aintree。 〃Think I'm afraid of your night…
sticks？〃
〃From arrest！〃
〃Arrest me！〃 yelled Aintree。 〃Do you know who's talking to you？
Do you know who I am？ I'm Major Aintree； damn you； commanding
the infantry。 An' I'm here to charge that thug〃
〃You are here because you are under arrest；〃 said Standish。 〃You
are arrested for threatening the police； drunkenness； and assaulting
a citizen with intent to kill〃 The voice of the young man turned shrill
and rasping。 〃And if the man should die〃
Aintree burst into a bellow of mocking laughter。
Standish struck the desk with his open palm。
〃Silence！〃 he commanded。
〃Silence to me！〃 roared Aintree； 〃you impertinent pup！〃 He flung
himself forward； shaking his fist。 〃I'm Major Aintree。 I'm your
superior officer。 I'm an officer an' a gentleman〃
〃You are not！〃 replied Standish。 〃You are a drunken loafer！〃
Aintree could not break the silence。 Amazement； rage； stupefaction
held him in incredulous wonder。 Even Meehan moved uneasily。
Between the officer commanding the infantry and an officer of
police； he feared the lieutenant would not survive。
But he heard the voice of his lieutenant continuing； evenly；
coldly； like the voice of a judge delivering sentence。
〃You are a drunken loafer；〃 repeated the boy。 〃And you know it。
And I mean that to…morrow morning every one on the Zone shall know
it。 And I mean to…morrow night every one in the States shall know
it。 You've killed a man； or tried to； and I'm going to break you。〃
With his arm he pointed to Meehan。 〃Break that man？〃 he demanded。
〃For doing his duty； for trying to stop a murder？ Strip him of his
shield？〃 The boy laughed savagely。 〃It's you I am going to strip；
Aintree；〃 he cried； 〃you 'hero of Batangas'； I'm going to strip you
naked。 I'm going to 'cut the buttons off your coat； and tear the stripes
away。' I'm going to degrade you and disgrace you； and drive you out
of the army！〃 He threw his note…book on the table。 〃There's your dossier；
Aintree；〃 he said。 〃For three months you've been drunk； and there's your
record。 The police got it for me； it's written there with dates and the names
of witnesses。 I'll swear to it。 I've been after you to get you； and I've got
you。
With that book； with what you did to…night； you'll leave the army。 You
may resign； you may be court…martialled； you may be hung。 I don't
give a damn what they do to you； but you will leave the army！〃
He turned to Meehan； and with a jerk of the hand signified Aintree。
〃Put him in a cell；〃 he said。 〃If he resists〃
Aintree gave no sign of resisting。 He stood motionless； his arms
hanging limp； his eyes protruding。 The liquor had died in him； and
his anger had turned chill。 He tried to moisten his lips to speak；
but his throat was baked； and no sound issued。 He tried to focus
his eyes upon the menacing little figure behind the desk； but
between the two lamps it swayed； and shrank and swelled。 Of one
thing only was he sure； that some grave disaster had overtaken
him； something that when he came fully to his senses still would
overwhelm him； something he could not conquer with his fists。
His brain； even befuddled as it was； told him he had been caught
by the heels； that he was in a trap； that smashing this boy who
threatened him could not set him free。 He recognized； and it was
this knowledge that stirred him with alarm； that this was no
ordinary officer of justice； but a personal enemy； an avenging
spirit who； for some unknown reason； had spread a trap； who； for
some private purpose of revenge； would drag him down。
Frowning painfully； he waved Meehan from him。
〃Wait；〃 he commanded。 〃I don' unnerstan'。 What good's it goin' to
do you to lock me up an' disgrace me？ What harm have I done you？
Who asked you to run the army； anyway？ Who are you？〃
〃My name is Standish；〃 said the lieutenant。 〃My father was colonel
of the Thirty…third when you first joined it from the Academy。〃
Aintree exclaimed with surprise and enlightenment。 He broke into
hurried speech； but Standish cut him short。
〃And General Standish of the Mexican War；〃 he continued； 〃was my
grandfather。 Since Washington all my people have been officers of
the regular army； and I'd been one； too； if I'd been bright enough。
That's why I respect the army。 That's why I'm going to throw you
out of it。 You've done harm fifty men as good as you can't undo。
You've made drunkards of a whole battalion。 You've taught boys
who looked up to you； as I looked up to you once； to laugh at
discipline； to make swine of themselves。 You've set them an example。
I'm going to make an example of you。 That's all there is to this。 I've
got no grudge against you。 I'm not vindictive； I'm sorry for you。 But；〃
he paused and pointed his hand at Aintree as though it held a gun；
〃you are going to leave the army！〃
Like a man coming out of an ugly dream； Aintree opened and shut
his eyes； shivered； and stretched his great muscles。 They watched
him with an effort of the will force himself back to consciousness。
When again he spoke； his tone was sane。
〃See here； Standish；〃 he began； 〃I'll not beg of you or any man。
I only ask you to think what you're doing。 This means my finish。
If you force this through to…night it means court…martial； it means
I lose my commission； I loselose things you know nothing about。
And； if I've got a record for drinking； I've got a record for other
things； too。 Don't forget that！〃
Standish shook his head。 〃I didn't forget it；〃 he said。
〃Well； suppose I did；〃 demanded Aintree。 〃Suppose I did go on
the loose； just to pass the time； just because I'm sick of this damned
ditch？ Is it fair to wipe out all that went before； for that？ I'm the
youngest major in the army； I served in three campaigns； I'm a
medal…of…honor man； I've got a career ahead of me； andand I'm
going to be married。 If you give me a chance…〃
Standish struck the table with his fist。
〃I will give you a chance；〃 he cried。 〃If you'll give your word to this
man and to me； that； so help you God； you'll never drink againI'll
let you go。〃
If what Standish proposed had been something base； Aintree could
not have accepted it with more contempt。
〃I'll see you in hell first；〃 he said。
As though the interview was at an end； Standish dropped into his
chair and leaning forward； from the table picked up a cigar。 As
he lit it； he motioned Meehan toward his prisoner； but before the
policeman could advance the sound of footsteps halted him。
Bullard； his eyes filled with concern； leaped up the steps； and
ran to the desk。
〃Lieutenant！〃 he stammered； 〃that manthe nigger that officer
shothe's dead！〃
Aintree gave a gasp that was partly a groan； partly a cry of
protest； and Bullard； as though for the first time aware of his
presence； sprang back to the open door and plac