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But I know, too, that you have something in your mind against him. What's the matter with Heppner? Isn't he steady in his work and first-rate in the stables?" The sergeant-major answered slowly: "In his work, and as far as the horses are concerned oh, yes." "But ?" Schumann shrugged his shoulders again. The captain began to be angry.
It was a long time before the last fifty-pfennig piece was played out of the pool; but Heppner triumphed. He had been right in his premonition; when he counted his money he had won nearly two marks. After this exertion the players took a little refreshment, and while eating talked the game over.
But Albina played the prude. She received the sergeant-major's attentions very coolly, and cut short his conversational efforts so as to excite him the more. At the same time her mockingly triumphant and provocative glances would contradict the virtuous compression of her lips. Heppner did not at all despair.
In the shadow of the trees Heppner put his arm round his sister-in-law's shoulders. She shrank slightly, and shuddered as if at a touch of frost. Pressed closely to each other they walked on slowly, and still in silence. The man's hot hand weighed heavily on the woman's shoulder; his throat was parched; his arms were as if paralysed; he could not turn his head and look her in the face.
Every night when an inspection was not expected, Trautvetter and Heppner would slip out of barracks. As soon as the sentinel had gone round the corner, they would creep out of the window, and make off to a neighbouring tavern, where gambling and drinking went on into the early morning hours. Heppner ground his teeth as he bowed beneath this uneasy yoke; but there was no help for him.
The leader of the third column was Ensign Gysinger, who had just joined the regiment from the Military Academy, and had exchanged with Lieutenant Landsberg, transferred to the first battery. Heimert had for the first time taken over the distribution of the horses. But when Heppner saw how the six horses for gun six had been placed, he shook his head. "That won't do," said he to Heimert.
Side by side, like two good friends, the two men climbed the path that led up the hill-side; Heimert striding on with quiet even pace, and Heppner, with unsteady knees and panting breast, trying involuntarily to keep step with the other man. They vanished into the deep shadow of the wood, and after a short time stepped out again into the bright moonlight above.
No word might be spoken, but it would be quite evident that she was gratified by the admiration. It was Venus triumphing over Mars. The person who was least affected by the beautiful Frau Heimert's charms was, curiously enough, Sergeant Heppner.
"The tailor has been here," she said, "and wanted the money for your uniform, which you have owed for a month. He will come again to-morrow." Heppner grumbled: "The fellow must wait!" He had no more money. It had nearly all vanished yesterday, and to-day he had been obliged to give the greater part of what remained to the women for housekeeping. With a surly face he sat down to his supper.
Without a word Heppner walked up to the mark. He carefully placed his feet with the toes against the marked line. Heimert went on another ten paces, not the leaping strides that are usually taken in arranging a duel, but fairly long ordinary paces. At the tenth he paused, and again dug his heel into the earth.
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