She opened her lips to say more, but reconsidered, and abruptly turned away, drawing Christine after her into the women's section. Colonel Grand turned to David. "Young man," he said sharply, "I don't like the way you look at me. Stop! Not a word, sir! I have taken up the show business seriously. I find that our animal tamers are entirely competent. What we need here is a tamer for vicious and ungentle bipeds. There is a way to tame them, just as there is a way to break the spirit of the lion or the tiger. It shall be my special duty to deal with these unruly human beings. I hope you grasp my meaning. It would not be to my liking to begin my experiments on a young gentleman of Virginia." "Sir, you've already begun!" cried David in a choking voice. "You may do what you like with me, but you've just got to let _her_ alone. You--" Colonel Grand held up his hand. David seemed to be gasping for breath. "That's the very thing I like about you, Jack," said his late host derisively. "I can always depend upon you to look after the ladies. They will be absolutely safe while you are with them. There is a distinct advantage in having a real gentleman about. You see, I can't always be on hand to--to protect them from such bullies as Thomas Braddock." His allusion to Braddock was strikingly impersonal. "I am making you my first lieutenant--no, my aide-de-camp, Jack. All you are required to do is to obey orders. Don't run the risk of a court-martial, my lad. It occurs to me that an uncle of yours has had an experience of that--but, never mind. Your first duty, sir, is to convince the ladies that I shall expect them to be in better humor when I return from the East." The words came from his lips with biting emphasis; the smooth oily tone was gone. There was no pretense now; he was showing his fangs. David could only glare at him, white to the lips. He could not speak. He could only look the hatred that welled in his heart. But down in that heart he was telling himself that some day he would crush this monster. Colonel Grand studied the clean-cut, aristocratic face for a moment. A conciliatory smile came to his lips. "Don't forget that I am doing you a good turn," he said. "Christie is a very pretty girl. She's fond of you. If you're smart, you'll make the most of her. You ought to thank me instead of--ah, but I see you do thank me." He willfully misjudged the expression on David's face. "I see no reason why you can't spend a most agreeable season with us. Jack."