This event made a powerful impression on the one-year volunteer. From the moment when Heppner had lain grovelling on the ground before him a thorough change came over Trautvetter. The whole scene had been unspeakably revolting to him; he was seized with a grim horror on his own account too. Half unconsciously the sight of the big imposing-looking man clamouring and petitioning on his knees made Trautvetter suddenly realise how near he himself stood to a similar degradation.
The next morning he gave the sergeant-major back his notes-of-hand.
Heppner coloured. "Why is this?" he asked. "Perhaps I shall be able to pay them up."
But Trautvetter answered quietly, "No, never mind! I only won the money from you in play, and gambling debts are not legally reclaimable. I ought never to have lent you the money in the first place." Then suddenly Trautvetter assumed a severely respectful manner, and added, "I should like to ask you something, sir; and that is that you would promise me never to play again."
Heppner looked at him, astonished. Was all this irksome dependence on one of his subordinates, this degradation before the whole battery, really to come to an end? He could scarcely believe that any one could be so generous. But he could see that the one-year volunteer was in earnest, not simply making fun of him.
"Yes, I promise you, Trautvetter," he said firmly. "I will not play any more."
And for the moment he meant what he said; he felt that this was the right minute for making good resolutions and turning over a new leaf.
Some days later Wegstetten asked him: "How is the one-year volunteer Trautvetter behaving? I have been quite pleased with him on duty these last few days."
And Heppner answered: "He has been much more steady, sir; there has been no fault to find with him."
The commander of the battery nodded, well pleased.