To Ignace it seemed unbelievable that he should be returning to barracks. He had fully expected to land in the guard-house for at least twenty days. He was divided between humiliation at the rebuke he had just received, and dazed happiness at the thought of again being with his Brothers. He was also deeply grateful to Schnitzel, whom he fully realized had tried to befriend him.
Though the commanding officer had reprimanded both himself and Bixton with impartial severity, Ignace could not know that of the two he had made a far better impression on the “ver’ cross major.” Behind Major Stearns’ impassive features had lurked a certain sympathy for the man who had been too hasty with his fists in the protection of his friend’s property. The K. O. was of the private opinion that whereas Ignace had told the truth, Bixton had lied. A keen student of human nature, he had arrived at a fairly correct estimate of the latter. The testimony against him had been too vague, however, on which to hold him for any charge other than that of disorderly conduct. He had, accordingly, been obliged to consider the two combatants as equally guilty. He was strongly of the belief, however, that Bixton would bear watching, and made mental note that he would instruct Sergeant Dexter to keep a special lookout in that direction.
Bixton’s face was not good to see as he returned to barracks. He was consumed with a black and unreasoning rage against the world in general. Most of all he hated Schnitzel. Schnitzel had tried to “queer” him. Well, he had failed. Now he, Bixton, would never rest until he “got even” with the “nosey tattle-tale.” He would “queer” Schnitzel no matter how long it took him. When he was through, Schnitzel would find himself in for something worse than a “bawling-out” from the K. O., extra fatigue and thirty days’ loss of liberty and privileges.
CHAPTER XIII
A CORPORAL AT LAST
Returned from drill that afternoon, Bob, Jimmy and Roger were jubilant to learn that Ignace had escaped the guard-house. They were also greatly surprised, and not a little pleased to hear from him of the sturdy stand Schnitzel had taken in his behalf.
“It was white in Schnitzel to do that,” lauded Jimmy. “I’ll bet it helped some, even if he couldn’t say he’d really seen Bixton do anything crooked. I’d just like to know why that sneak was fishing around my cot. After my suitcase, maybe. But what would he want that’s in there?”
“Most any little thing that he didn’t happen to have and took a fancy to,” shrugged Bob.
“More likely he wanted to get at your side of the rack and do some mischief to your clothing,” was Roger’s sage opinion. “Slash your overcoat or cut all the buttons off it, or do something of that sort. I’ve heard that he has plenty of money to spend, and that he gets lots of stuff from home. He was out to do something malicious rather than steal. He’s the kind of a man that holds a grudge.”