nigger ran。 Aintree fired twice； then I got to him and knocked
the gun out of his hand with my nightstick。〃
There was a pause。 Until he was sure his voice would be steady
and official； the boy lieutenant did not speak。
〃Did he hit the negro？〃 he asked。
〃I don't know；〃 Meehan answered。 〃The man jumped for the darkest
spot he could find。〃 The voice of Meehan lost its professional
calm and became personal and aggrieved。
〃Aintree's on his way to see you now； lieutenant。 He's going to
report me。〃
〃For what？〃
The voice over the telephone rose indignantly。
〃For knocking the gun out of his hand。 He says it's an assault。
He's going to break me！〃
Standish made no comment。
〃Report here；〃 he ordered。
He heard Bullard hurrying up the hill and met him at the foot of
the steps。
〃There's a nigger；〃 began Bullard； 〃lying under some bushes〃
〃Hush！〃 commanded Standish。
From the path below came the sound of footsteps approaching
unsteadily； and the voice of a man swearing and muttering to
himself。 Standish pulled the ex…cowboy into the shadow of the
darkness and spoke in eager whispers。
〃You understand；〃 he concluded； 〃you will not report until you
see me pick up a cigar from the desk and light it。 You will wait
out here in the darkness。 When you see me light the cigar； you
will come in and report。〃
The cowboy policeman nodded； but without enthusiasm。 〃I
understand； lieutenant；〃 he said； 〃but；〃 he shook his head doubtfully；
〃it sizes up to me like what those police up in New York call a
'frame…up。'〃
Standish exclaimed impatiently。
〃It's not my frame…up！〃 he said。 〃The man's framed himself up。
All I'm going to do is to nail him to the wall！〃
Standish had only time to return to his desk when Aintree stumbled
up the path and into the station…house。 He was 〃fighting drunk；〃
ugly； offensive； all but incoherent with anger。
〃You in charge？〃 he demanded。 He did not wait for an answer。
〃I've been 'saulted！〃 he shouted。 〃'Saulted by one of your damned
policemen。 He struck mestruck me when I was protecting myself。
He had a nigger with him。 First the nigger tripped me； then； when
I tried to protect myself； this thug of yours hits me； clubs me； you
unnerstan'； clubs me！ I want him〃
He was interrupted by the entrance of Meehan； who moved into the
light from the lamps and saluted his lieutenant。
〃That's the man！〃 roared Aintree。 The sight of Meehan whipped him
into greater fury。
〃I want that man broke。 I want to see you strip his shield off
himnow； you unnerstan'； nowfor 'saulting me； for 'saulting an
officer in the United States army。 And； if you don't；〃 he threw
himself into a position of the prize…ring； 〃I'll beat him up and
you； too。〃 Through want of breath； he stopped； and panted。 Again
his voice broke forth hysterically。 〃I'm not afraid of your damned
night…sticks；〃 he taunted。 〃I got five hundred men on top this hill；
all I've got to do is to say the word； and they'll rough…house this
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
g