Meanwhile, Lato turns towards him. "Toni!" he exclaims, recognizing a relative in the irate young fellow,--"Toni Flammingen!--can it be? The last time I saw you, you were in your public-school uniform. You've grown since then, my boy."
Stein turns away from this touching family scene, and, taking his place behind Lieutenant Spreil, who is still occupied in dressing his hair, observes, in a tone of great gravity,--
"Don't you think, Spreil, that you could make part of your thick beard useful in decorating that bald head of yours? Comb it up each side and confine it in place with a little sticking-plaster. It might do."
Spreil turns upon him in a fury. "It might do for me to send you a challenge!" he thunders.
"By all means: a little extra amusement would be welcome just now," Stein retorts, carelessly.
Spreil bows, and leaves the room with majesty.
"For heaven's sake, Stein, what are you about?" Harry, who has been observing the scene, asks the idle lieutenant.
"I have made a vow to rid our regiment of the fellow,--to chaff him out of it," Stein replies, with the sublime composure which results from the certainty of being in the right. "We do not want the infantry cad. If he is determined to mount on horseback, let him try a velocipede, or sit astride of Pegasus, for all I care; but in our regiment he shall not stay. You'll be my second, Les?"
"Of course, if you insist upon it," Harry replies; "but it goes against the grain. I detest this perpetual duelling for nothing at all. It is bad form."
"You need not talk; you used to be the readiest in the regiment to fight. I remember you when I was in the dragoons. But a betrothed man must, of course, change his views upon such subjects."