"Are you going to prefer charges against Darrin for knocking you
down?" demanded Lieutenant Treat.

"I am most certainly," nodded Cantor, taping his breast pocket
wherein hay the report.

"Then I am obliged to tell you, Cantor," Lieutenant Trent went
on, "that at the courtmartial I shall be obliged to appear as
one of Darrin's witnesses. Further, I shall be obliged to testify
that you said to him, 'you lie.' Then Darrin knocked you down,
as any other self-respecting man must have done."

"But I didn't tell him he lied," protested Cantor, with much seeming
warmth. "On the contrary, I asked him if he meant to imply that
I lied."

"That may be your version, Cantor," Lieutenant Trent rejoined,
"but I have just told you what my testimony will have to be."

"What's your interest in this Darrin fellow?" Cantor demanded,
half-sneeringly.

"Why, in the first place," Trent answered, calmly, "I like Darrin.
And I regard him as an excellent, earnest, faithful, competent
young officer."

"But why should you try to shield him, and throw me down, if this
matter comes before a court-martial?"

"Because I am an officer," replied Trent, stiffly, drawing himself