elish the idea of being seen around Fort
Sibley on the arm of her brother the sergeant; but, wonderful to relate,
Miss Alice took a radically different view of the whole situation. So
far from wishing Fred out of the army, she importuned him day after day
until he got out his best uniform, with its resplendent chevrons and
stripes of vivid yellow, and the yellow helmet-cords, though they were
but humble worsted, and when he came forth in that dress, with the
bronze medal on his left breast and the sharpshooter's silver cross, his
tall athletic figure showing to such advantage, his dark, Southern,
manly features so enhanced by contrast with his yellow facings, she
clapped her hands with a cry of delight and sprang into his one
available arm and threw her own about his neck and kissed him again and
again. Even mamma had to admit he looked astonishingly well; but Alice
declared she would never thereafter be reconciled to seeing him in
anything but a cavalry uniform. The colonel found her not at all of her
mother's way of thinking. She saw no reason why Fred should leave the
service. Other sergeants had won their commissions every year: why not
he? Even if it were some time in coming, was there shame or degradation
in being a cavalry sergeant? Not a bit of it! Fred himself was loath to
quit. He was getting a little homesick, too,--homesick for the boundless
life and space and air of the broad frontier,--homesick for the rapid
movement and vigorous hours in the saddle and on the scout. His arm was
healing, and such a delight of a letter had come from his captain,
telling him that the adjutant had just been to see him about the new
staff of the regiment. The gallant sergeant-major, a young Prussian of
marked ability, had been killed early in the campaign; the vacancy must
soon be filled, and the colonel and the adjutant both thought at once of
Sergeant McLeod. "I won't stand in your way, sergeant," wrote his troop
commander, "but you know that old Ryan is to be discharged at the end of
his sixth enlistment the 10th of next month; there is no man I would
sooner see in his place as first sergeant of my troop than yourself, and
I hate to lose you; but, as it will be for the gain and the good of the
whole regiment, you ought to accept the adjutant's offer. All the men
rejoice to hear you are recovering so fast, and all will be glad to see
Sergeant McLeod back again."

Even Mrs. Maynard could not but see the pride and comfort this