"Bless me," exclaimed the colonel, "what the devil have you been up to?"
The other smiled,—a somewhat thin smile,—and replied that he had not disgraced the regiment, or done anything low. "But I'm down to my pay again," he exclaimed, "and I can't live on that."
"Why not? Have you ever tried?" inquired the colonel.
Hemming did not answer the question, but waited, with his hands behind his back, and his face toward the fast darkening windows.
"I'm sorry for it," said the older man, at last. "You are a good officer,—forgive my saying so,—and—and the mess swears by you. I hope you have suffered no serious misfortune."
The captain laughed wanly.
"It seems rather serious to me," he replied. "I've come to the end of my little pile."
"The second, I believe," remarked the colonel.
Hemming nodded.
"It beats me," exclaimed his superior, and looked as if an explanation would be welcome.