"I have a great objection myself to seeing the natives beaten, and I have more than once punished men for it; but it will not do for a junior officer like you to take upon yourself the defence of every black whom you consider ill-used. There, sir; you can return to your quarters. No, no, don't say anything to-night. Go back, and think of what I have said. Going, Brace?" "Yes," said the captain, rising. "I'll walk back with Vincent: you don't want me any longer. I'll see Danby again to-night, and hear how the man is going on." A minute later I was walking across in the darkness, with Brace, waiting for him to speak, and listening to the regular tramp of the sentry near us, and the softer sound of another at a distance, like an echo of the one by the officers' quarters. But we had reached my quarters, and still Brace did not speak. "Good night," I said, coldly. "I am very sorry, Vincent," he said, ignoring my extended hand; and I felt, more than ever, that we never could be friends. "Then you think I have done very wrong?" I said bitterly. "Yes, very wrong. As an officer, you had no right to strike one of the men." "Then you would have me stand by and see the poor fellows about us struck, kicked, and insulted, until it is beyond bearing," I cried passionately. "I declare I wonder sometimes that they don't rise up against us, and put an end to the cruel oppression from which they suffer." "Hush!" he said gravely. "You are letting your tongue get the better of your discretion, Vincent. You, a young officer, can only amend these ways by your example. You must see, when you are cooler, that you have been guilty of a grave breach of discipline. I am speaking as your brother-officer, who sincerely wishes to see you rise in the profession you have chosen. We have been thrown together, and I hoped, by my experience, to help you--one so much younger--living, as you are, among strangers. It is not a pleasant task, Vincent, for I cannot help seeing that you resent my interference often, and think me cold, hard, and unsympathetic. There, good night for the present. I will come on later, and report how the man is." He turned on his heel, and I stood listening to the tramp of his feet till he turned in to his own quarters, while I sat down to think, after telling the servants to go to bed. It was a miserable night for me. The window was open, and the hot wind came in, making me feel so low and depressed, that life was almost unbearable. There was the _ping, ping, ping_, of the mosquitoes, and the piteous wailing shriek of the jackals as they hunted in a pack, and there, too, was the monotonous tramp of the sentry, hour after hour. "Asleep, Vincent?" I started from a nap to see the open window a little darker. "No. I have been dozing. How is he?" "I have just come from the hospital. There is no concealing the fact, my lad, that he is very bad; but let us hope it will not come to the worst. Good night."