join us, Miss Forrest! I'm taking my little invalid out for a drive in
the sunshine, and it will do you, too, a world of good. Do come!"

But Miss Forrest's clear voice was heard in prompt and positive regret.
It was impossible: she had an engagement that would occupy her a full
hour, and while she thanked the doctor--thanked them all--for stopping
for her, it could not be. "I am so glad to see you out again, Miss
Nellie," she called. "Now, I shall hope to have you come and spend an
hour with me over here."

The doctor could hardly conceal his chagrin. Again he begged. Again his
offer was courteously but positively declined. Nellie gave but faint
response to Miss Forrest's greetings. Jeannie Bruce looked fixedly
away, and finally the horses received a sharp and most unnecessary
touch of the lash, and went bounding away from "Bedlam" in a style that
reflected small credit on the merits of the driver, and that nearly
bruised the backs of his fair passengers.

Reclining half dressed, in a big easy-chair, Randall McLean heard the
crash of the horses' hoofs and the whirr-r-r of the wheels on the
gravelly road in front, and demanded of the attendant an account of the
party.

"The doctor, sir, and the two young ladies--out for a drive."

McLean was silent for a moment. Mrs. Miller had gone home some time
before on household cares intent, and the doctor was by this time out
of the garrison. It left the patient master of the situation.

"Get this chair out on the gallery," he presently said, as he slowly
raised himself to his feet and leaned for support against the table.
"Put a robe and pillow in it. Then come back and help me out."

The soldier demurred and would have argued, but Mr. McLean silenced
him, and presently, in his best blue fatigue-coat and with a white silk
handkerchief around his neck and his fatigue-cap tilted over one eye,
the young officer, leaning on the attendant's arm, slowly made his way
into the open air and was soon comfortably ensconced in the big
arm-chair again. Several men of his company, smoking on the piazza of
the quarters across the parade, arose, put away their pipes, and came
over to stand attention and salute their popular lieutenant, and to say
how glad they were to see him able to sit up again. It touched McLean's
sad and lonely heart to see the pleasure and the trust and faith in
their brown, honest faces, and the tears came welling up to his eyes as
he held out his hand, calling t