Nor was his greeting hearty among the cavalrymen.  There were only a few present, as most of the ——­th were still out in the field and marching slowly homeward.  The introductions were courteous and formal, there was even constraint among some two or three, but there was civility and an evident desire to refer to his services in behalf of their men.  All such attempts, however, Mr. Hayne waved aside by an immediate change of the subject.  It was plain that to them too, he had the manner of a man who was at odds with the world and desired to make no friends.

The colonel quickly noted the general silence and constraint, and resolved to shorten it as much as possible.  Dropping his pen, he wheeled around in his chair with determined cheerfulness: 

“Mr. Hayne, you will need a day or two to look about before you select quarters and get ready for work, I presume.”

“Thank you, colonel.  No, sir.  I shall move in this afternoon and be on duty to-morrow morning,” was the calm reply.

There was an awkward pause for a moment.  The officers looked blankly from one to another, and then began craning their necks to search for the post quartermaster, who sat an absorbed listener.  Then the colonel spoke again: 

“I appreciate your promptness, Mr. Hayne; but have you considered that in choosing quarters according to your rank you will necessarily move somebody out?  We are crowded now, and many of your juniors are married, and the ladies will want time to pack.”

An anxious silence again.  Captain Rayner was gazing at his boot-toes and trying to appear utterly indifferent; others leaned forward, as though eager to hear the answer.  A faint smile crossed Mr. Hayne’s features:  he seemed rather to enjoy the situation: 

“I have considered, colonel.  I shall turn nobody out, and nobody need be incommoded in the least.”

“Oh! then you will share quarters with some of the bachelors?” asked the colonel, with evident relief.

“No, sir;” and the answer was stern in tone, though perfectly respectful:  “I shall live as I have lived for years,—­utterly alone.”

One could have heard a pin drop in the office,—­even on the matted floor.  The colonel half rose: 

“Why, Mr. Hayne, there is not a vacant set of quarters in the garrison.  You will have to move some one out if you decide to live alone.”

“There may be no quarters in the post, sir, but, if you will permit me, I can live near my company and yet in officers’ quarters.”

“How so, sir?”

“In the house out there on the edge of the garrison, facing the prairie.  It is within stone’s-throw of the barracks of Company B, and is exactly like those built for the officers in here along the parade.”

“Why, Mr. Hayne, no officers ever lived there.  It is utterly out of the way and isolated.  I believe it was built for the sutler years ago, but was bought in by the government afterwards.—­Who lives there now, Mr. Quartermaster?”