The Young Lieutenant Part 3

"That's because you are sentimental; but you'll get over that."

"Lieutenant Somers," said Senator Guilford, who had risen from his seat, and approached that occupied by the two officers, "I shall leave the train at the next stopping-place, in order to procure proper medical attendance for my daughter. I desire again to express my thanks to you for the signal service you have rendered to my daughter."

Our hero blushed again, and stammered out some deprecatory remark.

"When you are in Washington, you must call and see me. You must promise this for Emmie's sake, if not for mine," added the Senator.

"I should be very happy to call," replied the young officer.

"My friend Lieutenant Somers is as bashful as a maiden of sweet sixteen,"

interposed Captain de Banyan. "I beg your pardon, Mr. Guilford; though your name and fame are familiar to me, I have not the honor of your personal acquaintance; but, under the circ.u.mstances, I shall make it part of my duty to see that my friend does not neglect your reasonable request."

"Thank you, sir," replied the Senator.

"Captain de Banyan, at your service," added the modest officer who had served in Italy and the Crimea.

"Thank you, Captain de Banyan. I see you are in the same regiment with Lieutenant Somers."

"Yes, sir, I have that honor; and I a.s.sure you there is not a n.o.bler and braver young officer in the Army of the Potomac. He reminds me very much of a splendid fellow I served with in the Crimea."

"Ah! you were in the Crimea?"

"I was, sir; and he looks very much like Captain de Waite, whom I saw made a major on the field of Magenta, for the most daring bravery, by the Emperor of France."

"You have seen service, captain," added the Senator.

"A little, sir."

"You must speak with my daughter, lieutenant, before we part," continued Mr. Guilford. "Her grat.i.tude has no limit."

Lieutenant Somers was astounded by the effrontery of his military companion, who had claimed to be his friend, and forced himself upon the acquaintance of the powerful man on the strength of that intimacy; had even brought to his notice the fact--if it was a fact--that he had been at Magenta and in the Crimea. The simple-minded young man had seen no such diplomacy in Pinchbrook, or in the course of his travels in Maryland and Virginia; and he was fearful that the audacious fellow would dare to address the daughter as he had the father.

"Be seated," said the Senator, as he pointed to the seat in front of Miss Emmie.

She was pale, and appeared to be suffering from the pain of her broken arm; but she bestowed a sweet smile upon him as he took the proffered seat.

"Lieutenant Somers, after what I have heard from Mr. Holman"--that was the gentleman who had spoken so handsomely of him--"I feel sure that I owe my life to you."

"I think not, Miss Guilford," replied the lieutenant, very much embarra.s.sed. "I only pulled you out from the ruins; I couldn't have helped doing it if I had tried; and I hope you won't feel under any obligations to me."

"But I do feel under very great obligations to you, and I a.s.sure you I am happy to owe my life to so brave and gallant a soldier."

Somers felt just as though he was reading an exciting chapter in a sensational novel; though he could not help thinking of Lilian Ashford, and thus spoiling all the romance of the affair. He made no reply to Miss Emmie's pretty speech; it was utterly impossible for him to do so; and therein he differed from all the heroes of the novels.

"I want to hear from you some time, and even to see you again. You must promise to call and see me when we get to Washington."

"I may not be able to leave my regiment at that time."

"Oh! my father will get you a furlough any time you want one."

Lieutenant Somers thought he would like to see himself asking a furlough to enable him to visit a young lady in Washington, even if she was a Senator's daughter; but he promised to call at Mr. Guilford's whenever he happened to be at the capital, which was entirely satisfactory to the young lady. Though Emmie was by this time suffering severely, she managed to say several pleasant things; and among them she hinted that her father could make a brigadier as easily as a tinker could make a tin kettle.

The train arrived at the stopping-place; and Mr. Guilford, with the a.s.sistance of Lieutenant Somers, placed his daughter in a carriage.

Captain de Banyan was very anxious to a.s.sist in the operation; but the sufferer declined. They parted with a renewed promise on the part of the young officer to visit her in Washington, whenever his duty called him to that city. The cars arrived in New York two hours behind time--too late to connect with the train for Philadelphia. Captain de Banyan proposed, as they were obliged to remain in the city over night, that they should stop at the "Fifth Avenue," declaring that it was the best hotel in New York. Somers objected; hoping that he should thus escape the society of the captain, who appeared to be altogether too "fast" for his time.

De Banyan was accommodating; and, when the lieutenant mentioned a small hotel downtown, he readily agreed to the proposition, and Somers found it useless to attempt to get rid of him. The captain, for some reason or other, appeared to have taken a decided liking to our officer. Perhaps he hoped to share with him the powerful patronage of Senator Guilford.

After supper, Captain de Banyan proposed that they should go out and see the "elephant;" but Somers, having no taste for the study of this description of natural history, positively declined to see the metaphorical monster.

"We must go somewhere," persisted the captain, taking up a newspaper.

"Here's a 'Lecture on the Battle of Bull Run, by Lieutenant-Colonel Staggerback, who partic.i.p.ated in that memorable action,'" he continued, reading from the paper.

"I was in that battle myself; I don't object to that," replied Somers.

"Good! Then we'll go."

They walked up Broadway till they came to one of those gaudy saloons where rum and ruin are tricked out in the gayest of colors.

"We are early for the lecture, Somers. Let's go in here, and see what there is to be seen."

"No, I thank you; I don't care about going into any of these dens of vice and sin."

"'Vice is a monster of so frightful mien, As, to be hated, needs but to be seen,'"

repeated the captain with dramatic force.

"'But seen too oft----'

You needn't see it but once. Don't you want to see the lions of the metropolis?"

"Don't object to the lions; but, in my opinion, you will find only the donkeys in there."

"Let us see, at any rate."

"I will go in for a moment," replied Somers, who did not like to seem over-squeamish.

They entered this outer gate to ruin. There was a bar at the end next to the street, while at the other end a band of music was playing the national airs. It looked like a very pleasant place to the young lieutenant, who had never entered one of these saloons before.

CHAPTER IV

THE FIRE OF TEMPTATION

Captain de Banyan sauntered gracefully up the saloon, with Somers at his side. He appeared to be perfectly at home, and to have all the ease and finish of a thorough man of the world. His movements were calculated to make a sensation; and, as he pa.s.sed along, old topers and gay young bloods paused to glance at him. If the captain had been in command of the Army of the Potomac, his elevated position would hardly have justified a more extensive flourish than he made.

Lieutenant Somers was duly impressed by the magnificence of his companion, though the surroundings of the place created some painful misgivings in his mind. The captain sat down at one of the little tables where the frequenters of the saloon who were disposed to prolong the enjoyment of their drams discussed "juleps," "cobblers," and other villainous compounds.