ld almost make or mar an army girl's success; and good old Lady
Rounds had two such encumbrances the first winter of their sojourn in
the South, and two army girls among so many are subjects of not a little
thought and care. If Mr. Waring had not led the second german with
Margaret Rounds the mother's heart would have been well-nigh crushed. It
was fear of some such catastrophe that kept her silent on the score of
Waring's reply to her irate lord, for if Sam did mean to be impertinent,
as he unquestionably could be, the colonel she knew would be merciless
in his discipline and social amenities would be at instant end. Waring
had covered her with maternal triumph and Margaret with bliss
unutterable by leading the ante-Lenten german with the elder daughter
and making her brief stay a month of infinite joy. The Rounds were
ordered on to Texas, and Margaret's brief romance was speedily and
properly forgotten in the devotions of a more solid if less fascinating
fellow. To do Waring justice, he had paid the girl no more marked
attention than he showed to any one else. He would have led the next
german with Genevieve had there been another to lead, just as he had led
previous affairs with other dames and damsels. It was one of the
ninety-nine articles of his social faith that a girl should have a good
time her first season, just as it was another that a bride should have a
lovely wedding, a belle at least one offer a month, a married woman as
much attention at an army ball as could be lavished on a bud. He prided
himself on the fact that no woman at the army parties given that winter
had remained a wall-flower. Among such a host of officers as was there
assembled during the year that followed on the heels of the war it was
no difficult matter, to be sure, to find partners for the thirty or
forty ladies who honored those occasions with their presence. Of local
belles there were none. It was far too soon after the bitter strife to
hope for bliss so great as that. There were hardly any but army women to
provide for, and even the bulkiest and least attractive of the lot was
led out for the dance. Waring would go to any length to see them on the
floor but that of being himself the partner. There the line was drawn
irrevocably. The best dancer among the men, he simply would not dance
except with the best dancers among the women. As to personal appearance
and traits, it may be said first that Waring was a man of slender,
graceful physi