The heat's come over her, and she ain't had anything to eat for
two days, an' she's starving. Ring the bell for the matron, will yer,
and send one of your men around for the house surgeon." The sergeant
leaned forward comfortably on his elbows, with his hands under his
chin so that the gold lace on his cuffs shone effectively in the
gaslight. He believed he had a sense of humor and he chose this
unfortunate moment to exhibit it.
"Did you take this for a dispensary, young man?" he asked; "or," he
continued, with added facetiousness, "a foundling hospital?"
The young man made a savage spring at the barrier in front of the high
desk. "Damn you," he panted, "ring that bell, do you hear me, or I'll
pull you off that seat and twist your heart out."
The baby cried at this sudden outburst, and Rags fell back, patting it
with his hand and muttering between his closed teeth. The sergeant
called to the men of the reserve squad in the reading-room beyond, and
to humor this desperate visitor, sounded the gong for the janitress.
The reserve squad trooped in leisurely with the playing-cards in their
hands and with their pipes in their mouths.
"This man," growled the sergeant, pointing with the end of his cigar
to Rags, "is either drunk, or crazy, or a bit of both.
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