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Show 138 ROEBUCK. 1) eered in at the chaplain, nnd again turned to the . · . . 1 Then bur~t out the earthquake. '\\':11t111o ClO\Vl. . 'By ~ ,' he excb.itneLl, 'I ·will swear-I Innst Jl:am- tm. n cl 't SC.l p1 1' 11 c - I h••t vc not cursed th.e . e. fellow;"' fo, r, a "~eek, and now they arc all _s1ur]ong-, - ·whaL s a preacher? he's only a n1m1-I ·will swear. \V ell, he swore. All the oaths that he had corked u~ for a \veek, fron1 respect to the clergy, rnshecl_ out 1n on~ l volume. Jle scattered that squad of shn·kers faster and farther than the Yanks \vere routed yesterday." The surcreon swore a little, and the others laughed, ~ except Pahner. "\Vhy don't you laugh, Pahner? That was a good story" said Daxter. ' . But the quarler-Innster, perhaps, " 'as not.ln a merry 1nood that evening, and he had a recollection of one of Baxter's practical jokes that disinclined hin1 to applaud the conunissnry's \Vit. lie replica:- "I am not bonnJ to laugh, a1u I ?'' "Everybody but a churl laughs at a good joke in jovial con1pany." "Profanity does not amuse me." "0, Puritan ! " cried Baxter, \Vith a sneer. "At all events, I am not a buffoon," retorted Palmer with a scowl. · Baxter in tantly rose and slappccl Pahner's f~co w·ith his open hand. The latter stood a 1noment white with rage, ancl then saying, " yon shall he~r from me, sir," he flung hin1self out of thq tent. "Let's take another ch·ink," saicl Baxter, resnrning his seat. But his vi ·itors declined the invitation and took leave of him. They anticipated the consequences of the quarrel. They condemned the conduct of Baxter, but they did not esteem Paltner. They con- ·. \ .. ., . HOEBUCK 130 sidered that the affair between them hnd procceclccl too far to be stop peel. Dlood for a. blo,v, was a n1axi 111 that permittec1110 pacification at that tage by the mediation of friend., according to their notions. :Nothinowa. s lei'L for then1 but to stand a~icle, and let the afr~1i7. take its course. \Vhcn they had left him, Baxter FJ:t t looking at his bottle for son1e tin1e, ancl then said to himself-" N o,v, there\ poor Corporal J one, ,\Toulcl be the better of a fe,v dropt~ of that liquor. I'll go to see him. I expect he'll die to-night. I 'll help hi111 to go off the hooks easy." lie filled the Lottie and starteJ out \ViLh it in his hand. It was near 1niclnight 'vhen Palmer entered the tent of Lieutenant Potter, 'vho \vas then asleep, and a ked him to get up. '.l\lr. I)oLLer," said he wiLh agitation, t' I want your ad vice." "~bout \Vhat ?" said Potter, turning over an<l yawnmg. "About that affair." "Oh-ah-ye~," replied Potter, rubbinO' his eyes " . . b ' y~u mean that affiur ·w1th Baxter," and he yawned a gam. "Yes. 1Vhat ought I to do?'' "Don't you kno,v (?" "H.eall y I do not." "Then yon are a l'ool," said Potter, and he turned over to sleep again. "But, l\Ir. Potter, indeed yon must advise me. I am in trouble. I have no friend here to consult ·with -do advise 1ne." yoa" Diun't you threaten that he should hear from ,~, , "\Veil?" "n·d 't h ·k 1 n e stn e you?" |