uipment of a cavalryman.
Here they halted before barracks.

Dick caught sight of four figures standing hardly more than across
the road. A swift glance at the time, and Prescott stepped over
the road.

"Good afternoon, mother. Good afternoon, Mrs. Bentley. And Laura
and Belle---oh, how delighted I am to see you both here!"

Genuine joy shone in this manly cadet's eyes; none could mistake
that.

"You did not know that Greg had invited me to the graduation ball,
did you?" asked Belle Meade.

"I did not," Dick answered truthfully. "Yet I guessed it as soon
as I saw you here. And you have been at the Annapolis graduation,
too?"

"Why, of course!" exclaimed Belle, almost in astonishment. "And
Laura went with me. That's something else you didn't know, Dick."

"I've been through the course at West Point," laughed the cadet,
"and by this time I am not astonished at the number of things that
I don't know."

"Dave and Dan said they had seen you only a few days ago, but
they sent their love again," rattled on Miss Meade. "But I'm
taking up all of the talk, and I know you're dying to talk to
Laura."

Belle accompanied her words with a little gesture of one hand that
displayed the flash of a small solitaire diamond set in a band of
gold on the third finger of the left hand.

Dick did not need inquire. He knew that Dave Darrin had placed
that ring where it now flashed.

Just then Greg came through the sally-port. In an instant he
bounded across the road. He immediately took it upon himself
to talk with Belle, and Dick turned to Laura with flushed face
and wistful eyes.

In the first instant Miss Bentley flushed; then a sudden pallor
succeeded the flush. Dick, taking her dear face as his barometer,
felt a sudden indescribable sinking of his heart.

They exchanged a few words, then-----

Ta-ra-ta-ra-ta-ra-ta!

It was the bugle calling the assembly.

Swiftly Greg sprang across the road to form his troop, while Anstey
formed the other.

Both acting troop leaders turned to report to Dick that their
respective troops were formed.

Then Prescott, for the last time as a cadet, marched the class
across the plain at swift, rhythmic tread, to where the veteran
cavalry horses stood saddled and tethered.

Reaching the cavalry instructor, Prescott halted, saluted, and
reported his command.

"Stand to horse!" ordered the instructor briskly. There was a
dash; in another instant each cadet stood by the head