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 placed himself between
it and Aintree。
〃It's murder！〃 he said。
None of the three men spoke； and when Meehan crossed to where
Aintree stood； staring fearfully at nothing； he had only to touch
his sleeve； and Aintree； still staring； fell into step beside him。
From the yard outside Standish heard the iron door of the cell
swing shut； heard the key grate in the lock； and the footsteps of
Meehan returning。
Meehan laid the key upon the desk； and with Bullard stood at
attention； waiting。
〃Give him time；〃 whispered Standish。 〃Let it sink in！〃
At the end of half an hour Standish heard Aintree calling； and；
with Meehan carrying a lantern； stepped into the yard and stopped
at the cell door。
Aintree was quite sober。 His face was set and white； his voice
was dull with suffering。 He stood erect； clasping the bars in his
hands。
〃Standish；〃 he said； 〃you gave me a chance a while ago； and I
refused it。 I was rough about it。 I'm sorry。 It made me hot
because I thought you were forcing my hand； blackmailing me into
doing something I ought to do as a free agent。 Now； I am a free
agent。 You couldn't give me a chance now； you couldn't let me go
now； not if I swore on a thousand Bibles。 I don't know what
they'll give meLeavenworth for life； or hanging； or just dismissal。
But； you've got what you wantedI'm leaving the army！〃 Between
the bars he stretched out his arms and held a hand toward Meehan
and Standish。 In the same dull； numbed voice he continued。
〃So； now；〃 he went on； 〃that I've nothing to gain by it； I want
to swear to you and to this man here； that whether I hang； or go
to jail； or am turned loose； I will never； so help me God； take
another drink。〃
Standish was holding the hand of the man who once had been his
hero。 He clutched it tight。
〃Aintree；〃 he cried； 〃suppose I could work a miracle； suppose I've
played a trick on you； to show you your danger； to show you what
might come to you any daydoes that oath still stand？〃
The hand that held his ground the bones together。
〃I've given my word！〃 cried Aintree。 〃For the love of God； don't
torture me。 Is the man alive？〃
As Standish swung open the cell door； the hero of Batangas；
he who could thrash any man on the isthmus； crumpled up
like a child upon his shoulder。
And Meehan； as he ran for water； shouted joyfully。
〃That nigger；〃 he called to Bullard； 〃can go home now。 The lieutenant
don't want him no more。
〃
EVIL TO HIM WHO EVIL THINKS
As a rule； the instant the season closed Aline Proctor sailed on
the first steamer for London； where awaited her many friends；
both English and Americanand to Paris； where she selected those
gowns that on and off the stage helped to make her famous。 But
this particular summer she had spent with the Endicotts at Bar
Harbor； and it was at their house Herbert Nelson met her。 After
Herbert met her very few other men enjoyed that privilege。 This
was her wish as well as his。
They behaved disgracefully。 Every morning after breakfast they
disappeared and spent the day at opposite ends of a canoe。 She；
knowing nothing of a canoe； was happy in stabbing the waters with
her paddle while he told her how he loved her and at the same
time； with anxious eyes on his own paddle； skilfully frustrated
her efforts to drown them both。 While the affair lasted it was
ideal and beautiful； but unfortunately it lasted only two months。
Then Lord Albany； temporarily in America as honorary attache to
the British embassy； his adoring glances； his accent； and the way
he brushed his hair； proved too much for the susceptible heart of
Aline； and she chucked Herbert and asked herself how a woman of
her age could have seriously considered marrying a youth just out
of Harvard！ At that time she was a woman of nineteen； but； as she
had been before the public ever since she was eleven； the women
declared she was not a day under twenty…six； and the men knew she
could not possibly be over sixteen！
Aline's own idea of herself was that without some one in love
with her she could not existthat； unless she knew some man cared
for her and for her alone； she would wither and die。 As a matter
of fact； whether any one loved her or not did not in the least
interest her。 There were several dozen men who could testify to
that。 They knew！ What she really wanted was to be head over ears
in loveto adore some one； to worship him； to imagine herself
starving for him and making sacrifice hits for him； but when the
moment came to make the sacrifice hit and marry the man； she
invariably found that a greater； truer love had arisenfor some
one else。
This greater and truer love always made her behave abominably to
the youth she had just jilted。 She wasted no time on post…mortems。
She was so eager to show her absolute loyalty to the new monarch
that she grudged every thought she ever had given the one she had
cast into exile。 She resented him bitterly。 She could not forgive him
for having allowed her to be desperately in love with him。 He should
have known he was not worthy of such a love as hers。 He should have
known that the real prince was waiting only just round the corner。
As a rule the rejected ones behaved well。 Each decided Aline was much
too wonderful a creature for him； and continued to love her cautiously
and from a distance。 None of them ever spoke or thought ill of her and
would gladly have punched any one who did。 It was only the women
whose young men Aline had temporarily confiscated； and then returned
saddened and chastened； who were spiteful。 And they dared say no more
than that Aline would probably have known her mind better if she had
had a mother to look after her。 This； coming to the ears of Aline；
caused her to reply that a girl who could not keep straight herself；
but needed a mother to help her； would not keep straight had she a
dozen mothers。 As she put it cheerfully； a girl who goes wrong and
then pleads 〃no mother to guide her〃 is like a jockey who pulls a race
and then blames the horse。
Each of the young men Aline rejected married some one else and；
except when the name of Aline Proctor in the theatrical
advertisements or in electric lights on Broadway gave him a
start； forgot that for a month her name and his own had been
linked together from Portland to San Francisco。 But the girl he
married did not forget。 She never understood what the public saw
in Aline Proctor。 That Aline was the queen of musical comedy she
attributed to the fact that Aline knew the right people and got
herself written about in the right way。 But that she could sing；
dance； act； that she possessed compelling charm； that she 〃got
across〃 not only to the tired business man； the wine agent； the
college boy； but also to the children and the old ladies； was to
her never apparent。
Just as Aline could not forgive the rejected suitor for allowing
her to love him； so the girl he married never forgave Aline for
having loved her husband。 Least of all could Sally Winthrop； who
two years after the summer at Bar Harbor married Herbert Nelson；
forgive her。 And she let Herbert know it。 Herbert was properly
in love with Sally Winthrop； but he liked to think that his
engagement to Aline； though brief and abruptly terminated； had
proved him to be a man fatally attractive to all women。 And
though he was hypnotizing himself into believing that his feeling
for Aline had been the grand passion； the truth was that all that
kept her in his thoughts was his own vanity。 He was not
discontented with his lothis lot being Sally Winthrop； her
millions； and her estate of three hundred acres near Westbury。
Nor was he still longing for Aline。 It was only that his vanity
was flattered by the recollection that one of the young women
most beloved by the public had once loved him。
〃I once was a king in Babylon；〃 he used to misquote to himself；
〃and she was a Christian slave。〃
He was as young as that。
Had he been content in secret to assure himself that he once had
been a reigning monarch； his vanity would have h