e, when he was told by Mrs. Post that Weeks was
summoned and in attendance, was a study worth seeing. It was not a
serious ailment at all, said Mrs. Post. Miss Forrest had caught cold
and neglected it, and now the cold had developed into fever, and she
had been persuaded to keep in bed for a day or two.

But Mrs. Miller was puzzled over still another matter. The evening of
the day Mr. Holmes so unexpectedly reappeared at Laramie, he and Miss
Forrest met on the board-walk near "Bedlam," had a few moments'
conversation there just before gun-fire at retreat, and then, to the
surprise of many lookers-on, she was observed to take his proffered
arm, and for over half an hour they strolled around the deserted parade
talking earnestly together. It was the hour when most of the garrison
families were in the dining-rooms, at dinner or tea as might be the
custom of the household; but more than one good lady found it necessary
to pop up from the table and go to the front window to see if Mr.
Holmes and Miss Forrest were still walking and talking together. It was
the morning after this mysterious consultation that the cold developed;
and those kindly spirits who had promptly decided that the handsome but
penniless New York girl was setting her cap to cut out Nellie Bayard
with the Chicago millionaire were balked in their hopes of seeing
further developments by the circumstance of her keeping her room and
not again meeting Mr. Holmes, who, after two or three days' visit,
departed as suddenly and unexpectedly as he came. The presence of a
large battalion of cavalry had the effect of warning the Indians away
from the neighborhood and made travel again comparatively safe.

And now, having patted up his pillows and settled him carefully back
upon them, Mrs. Miller had begun the attempt of cheering her "pet
lieutenant," as the major had called him. First she strove to rouse his
interest by detailing the terms in which Captain Terry had officially
commended his gallantry and zeal in the fight down at Royall's Ford;
but he had heard it all before through Dr. Weeks, and, though
appreciative, he did not beam with the comfort she expected. Then she
tried to tell him of Major Miller's warm-hearted and commendatory
endorsement in forwarding Terry's report; but he had heard of that too;
the adjutant had told him about it, and there was nothing new in it.
What did it amount to, after all? said Mac to himself. What good result
can follow? No matte