Waterbury Democrat., 1901-04-09
rconyrioht.a ,ooo. by the J. B Lippncott company.l


 Twice again that night he visited the recruit car. At ten o'clock, after enjoying for an hour or more the sight of Miss Ray in animated chat with two of the six women passen- gers of the sleeper, and the sound of her pleasant voice, Stuyvesant wan dered into the diner for glass of cool Budweiser.
 That's an ugly brute of fellow that bit your corporal, sir," said the steward. q was in there just now, and he's surly as q cur dog yet"
 Stuyvesant nodded without word. He was fn a petulant frame of mind. He wanted worse kind" as he would have expressed it, to know that girl, but not glance would she give him. She owed him one, thought he, for letting that rabbit go. Moreover, be- ing an army girl, as he had learned, she should not be so offish with an officer.
 Then the readiness with which the corporal had spotted" him as a vol unteer, as not regular, occurred to him, and mdded to his faintly irri- table mood. True, his coat collar bore the telltale letters U. s. ", but he had served some years with one of the swellest of swell eastern regiments, whose set-up and style were not excelled by the regulars, whose officers prided themselves upon their dress and bearing.
 If it was because he was not of the regular service Miss Ray would not youchsafe him 8 glance, MT. Stuyve- sant was quite ready to bid her un- derstand he held himself as high as any soldier in her fathers famous corps. If it was not that, then what in blazes was it?
 He knew that in travelling cross continent in this way it was con- sidered the proper thing for an of ficer of the regular army to send his card by the porter to the wife or daughter of any brother officer who might be aboard, and to tender such civihties as lie would be glad to have paid his own were he so pro- vided. He wondered whether it would do to send his pasteboard with little note to the effect that he had once. met Col. Ray at the United Service club, and would be glad to pay his respects to the colonel's daughter.
 It was an unusual thing for Mir. Stuyvesant to quaff beer at any time, except after heavy exercise at polo or tennis, but tonight he was ruff fled, and when the porter began making up the berths and danes and damsels disappeared, he had wan dered disconsolately into the diner and ordered beer as his excuse. Then he crossed the. platform and entered the tourist.
 The night was hot and close. The men were lying two in a berth, as rule, the upper berths not being used.
 One or two, Murray among them, had not removed their trousers, but most of them were stretched out in their undergarments, while others, chatting in low tones, were watch ing the brakeman turning down the lights. They made way respectfully as the lieutenant entered. Connolly came to meet him and nodded sig niicantly at Murray, who lay in berth near the middle of the car, still carefully watched by Hunt. Eos ter, wearied, had turned in, and, with his face to the window, seemed to have fallen asleep. The conductor came through, lantern in hand.
 Its the, quietest and best behaved lot, barring that chap, 1 ever car he's wicked enough for a dozen. Wonder he don't go to sleep"
 "Humph! says he wants bottle of beer," grunted Connolly. Cant get to sleep withoutNit. I wouldn't give it to him if I had kag."
 .He doesn't deserve it, of course" said the conductor. What he ought to have is an all-around licking. But I've known beer to have soothing effect on men who'd been drinking, and it might put him to sleep and save bother"
 'Let him have it." said Stuyvesant, briefly. "I'l send it in by the stew ard. And, corporal, if you or any of your men would like it, I'll be glad"
 Some two or three looked quickly and expectantly up, as though they might like it very much, but Cor poral Connolly said he "dassent," he meyer took drink of anything on duty since three years ago come Fourth of July.s So the others were abashed and would not ask. Older hands would not have held their tongues.
 To Murray's surprise, brimming 1 glass of cool beer was presently of fered him. He gulped it thirstily l down, and without a word held out the glass for more. A grinning waiter obliged him with what re- 1nained in the bottle Murray asked | if that was all, then, with something like a grunt of dissatisfaction, rolled heavily over and turned his face to | the wall.
 Well, of all the ungrateful cads ever see," said Hunt, you're the worst! Dye know who sent that beer, Murray? It was the young officer you insulted." But Murray's only answer at the moment was Q demand that Hunt shut up and let him go to sleep.
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