ly mildly insistent that others should
do likewise. She declined all overtures leading to confidences as to her
past, and demanded recognition only upon the standard of the present,
which was unimpeachable.

All the same it came something like a shock to society at Frayne that,
when she appeared at the post this beautiful autumn of 188-, nearly
three months later than the usual time, she should be accompanied by
this brilliant and beautiful girl of whom no one of their number had
previously heard, and whom she smilingly, confidently presented as, "My
niece, Miss Flower."

[Illustration: "THE MAJOR SOUGHT TO BLOCK THAT MORNING'S RIDE IN VAIN."]

There was a dance the night the Dades got home from Laramie. Nearly all
day long had they driven in the open buckboard over the rough, winding
road along the Platte, and Mrs. Dade was far too tired to think of
going, but Esther was so eager that her father put aside his precious
paper, tucked her under his arm and trudged cheerily away across the
parade toward the bright lights of the hop room. They had a fairly good
string orchestra at Frayne that year, and one of Strauss's most witching
waltzes--"Sounds from the Vienna Woods"--had just been begun as father
and daughter entered. A dozen people, men and women both, saw them and
noted what followed. With bright, almost dilated, eyes, and a sweet,
warm color mantling her smiling face, Esther stood gazing about the
room, nodding blithely as she caught the glance of many a friend, yet
obviously searching for still another. Then of a sudden they saw the
bonny face light up with joy uncontrollable, for Mr. Field came bounding
in at the side door, opening from the veranda of the adjutant's office.
He saw her; smiled joyous greeting as he came swiftly toward her;
then stopped short as a girl in black grenadine dropped the arm of her
cavalier, the officer with whom she was promenading, and without a
moment's hesitation, placed her left hand, fan-bearing, close to the
shoulder knot on his stalwart right arm, her black-gloved right in his
white-kidded left, and instantly they went gliding away together, he
nodding half in whimsical apology, half in merriment, over the black
spangled shoulder, and the roseate light died slowly from the sweet,
smiling face--the smile itself seemed slowly freezing--as the still
dilated eyes followed the graceful movements of the couple, slowly,
harmoniously winding and reversing about the waxen floor. Even a