hat we are not in the least certain about
being able to keep any engagements that we might make, since we are both
awaiting orders from the War Department. Besides all my engagements are
in the charge and keeping of my mother."

"Then you will accept for yourself and friends, won't you, my dear Mrs.
Overton?" asked Mrs. Redding, again turning to Hal's mother.

"I--I am very much afraid that we can't go to-morrow afternoon," replied
Mrs. Overton slowly.

"Oh, well, then, we will make a later appointment," smiled Mrs. Redding
affably. "There will be plenty of time, I am sure. So glad to have seen
you this evening."

Still smiling, Mrs. Redding swept on through the restaurant with Mr.
Redding in her wake. Somehow, one instinctively felt sorry for Mr.
Redding; he looked very much like a small boat towing astern of a larger
craft.

"I am wondering very much," smiled Hal's mother. "Although we have gone
to the same church for the last fifteen years, Mrs. Redding has never
before seemed to know who I am. She is suddenly very cordial."

"That is because you now have a son who is an officer in the Army,"
interposed Noll's father. "An Army officer is supposed to be a man of
some social consequence."

"But that doesn't give me any more social consequence. I'm just the same
woman that I always was," objected Mrs. Overton sensibly.

"But at least, my dear," suggested Hal's father, "you will be visiting
your son at his post one of these days, and he may also urge you to
bring some of your women friends."

"I certainly shall," Hal agreed.

"And Mrs. Redding may feel that she would like to be one of the
invited," continued the elder Overton. "So, my dear, you see that you
will become of social consequence. Others than Mrs. Redding, who have
never even bowed to you before, will now be calling on you."

"I don't want new friends of that sort," remarked Hal's mother quietly.

"My dear, you'll have to be very agile if you expect to dodge all such
new friends," laughed Hal's father.

Since Hal had given the order the orchestra had played several numbers.
All of the little dining party were now becoming rather impatient for
dinner.

"I guess our waiter doesn't like us very well," half-grumbled Lieutenant
Hal.

"Very likely," nodded his father. "Of course you recognized the waiter."

"I can't say, sir, that I did."

"The waiter is Bunny Hepburn, more than three years older than when you
last saw him," replied Mr. Overton