army furnishings go, were there in charge of the post
quartermaster. From being the temporary guests of some old friends, Mrs.
Frank and her pretty companion suddenly opened housekeeping in one of
these vacated homes, and all her witchery was called into play to make it
the most popular resort of the younger element at the post. Money she
might lack, but no woman could eclipse her in the dazzle of her dainty
toilets. The Presidio was practically at her feet before she had been
established forty-eight hours. Other peoples' vehicles trundled her over
to camp whenever she would drive. Other peoples' horses stood saddled at
her door when she would ride. Other peoples' servants flew to do her
bidding. Women might whisper and frown, but for the present, at least,
she had the men at her beck and call. Morn, noon and night she was on the
go, the mornings being given over, as a rule, to a gallop over the breezy
heights where the brigade or regimental drills were going on, the
afternoons to calls, wherein it is ever more blessed to give than to
receive--and the evenings to hops at the assembly room, or to
entertaining--charmingly entertaining the little swarm of officers with
occasional angels of her own sex, sure to drop in and spend an hour.
Cherry played and sang and "made eyes" at the boys. Mrs. Frank was
winsome and genial and joyous to everybody, and when Garrison himself
arrived from camp, generally late in the evening, looking worn and jaded
from long hours at the desk, she had ever a comforting supper and
smiling, playful welcome for her lord, making much of him before the
assembled company, to the end that more than one callow sub was heard to
say that there would be some sense in marrying, by George, if a fellow
could pick up a wife like Mrs. Frank. All the same the post soon learned
that the supposedly blest aide-de-camp breakfasted _solus_ on what he
could forage for himself before he mounted and rode over to his long
day's labor at Camp Merritt. Another thing was speedily apparent, the
_entente cordial_ between her radiant self and the Primes was at an end,
if indeed it ever existed. _She_, to be sure, was sunshine itself when
they chanced to meet at camp. The clouds were on the faces of the father
and daughter, while Miss Lawrence maintained a serene neutrality.

They were lingering in 'Frisco, still hopefully, were the Primes. The
detectives on duty at the landing stage the evening Stewart's regiment
embarked swor