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"What is all this!" Colonel Stiet demanded from the door But his voice was only an echo of his old bark When I looked at hi on a cane He had two days’ growth of graying stubble on his chin, and his hair was uncoht have known it would be you Well Do you have your satisfaction?"

I held up the letter Caulder had sent me I did not intend that it slip froh the air to lie at the colonel’s feet "Your son asked me to come here I did I now understand that you made him extend the invitation" I was surprised, not at the depth of er, but at the cold control I could maintain over my voice I spoke flatly and met the old man’s eyes with a neutral stare

He looked away froust war in his eyes Then his er "Well I see you’ve had your revenge on hi puppy like Caulder Are you satisfied, sir?" He repeated the word as if all of this were my fault

"No, sir, I aave e based on a lie Am I still under that onus? Will it be a part of my record I must always carry with uilty of poisoning your son with cheap liquor and beating other cadets?"

He stood silent for a ti as he huddled in his chaise dominated the room Then I clearly heard Colonel Stiet s In a quieter voice he said, "No record ree You can return to the Acadeh I do not knohen classes will resu for instructors to replace the ones who died Are you satisfied?"

Each time he asked reedy, to demand justice and the return of my honor? "No, sir I am not ‘satisfied’ What will beco your son with cheap liquor?" I repeated my question as carefully and coldly as when I had first asked it

"That is none of your affair, Cadet!" He coughed on his own veheained by profaning the honor of the dead They are both dead of that foul pestilence The good god will judge them for you, Cadet Burvelle Will you be satisfied with that?"

I came as close to blasphemy as I ever have in my life when I replied, "I suppose I will have to be, sir Good day, Colonel Stiet Good day, Caulder"

I walked past Colonel Stiet to reach the door of the room As I passed out of it, Caulder showed that he did, perhaps, have a gli voice to call after od protect you" Then Colonel Stiet shut the door too firmly behind me I listened to the sound of my boots as I thudded downstairs and let myself out of Colonel Stiet’s fine house

I rode Sirlofty back to ht myself well recovered, but that encounter had exhausted h the afternoon, and then rose wakeful to the evening sky glowing in ht to my uncle’s house, probably at the sa from my bunkroom had been hastily thrown into it I repacked it carefully When I caether, I opened theh each of the Yet I still felt a sense of loss as I put each missive back in its envelope and once more tied them into a packet I felt that Epiny and her attitude and her questions had taken so from me and made my life a bit harder I found I still wished her and Spink the best of luck I suspected they would need it

I think that the horseback ride and my confrontation with Caulder and Colonel Stiet taxed me more heavily than my health was ready to bear The next day, I found ain, and I kept to my bed for that day and the two that followed Epiny and Spink were gone, and though my uncle visited ht ainst o for a walk in the garden The following day, I took a longer walk, and by the end of the week I felt that my recovery was once eance that startled me and frankly a back, and I felt that my body suddenly demanded both exercise and food to restore itself I was very happy to give it both When Dr Amicus paid me a surprise visit, he bluntly said, "You’ve not only recovered your weight from before your illness, but added a layer of fat to it Perhaps you should consider controlling your appetite"