rned back and Priscilla stood
confronting him at the doorway.

"What is it, Sandy? Why should you be so--annoyed at Blenke's believing
he was called back?"

"Because I don't believe _him_" said Sandy bluntly, "and--I don't like
prowling."

"Oh, how can you be so unfair? Blenke is no prowler, Sandy!" said
Priscilla, in fervent reproach. "Blenke is a born gentleman, and I know
it, and so will you when you hear his story."

"Oh, fudge!" said Sandy, as he turned impatiently away, entered his own
room and slammed the door.

CHAPTER VI

A BRIDE--AND A BEAU

Colonel and Mrs. Stone in the course of the following fortnight had
occasion twice, as the society columns expressed it, to "entertain at
dinner for" Major and Mrs. Oswald Dwight, and Mrs. Dwight was the topic
of all tongues at Minneconjou before she had been two days at the post.
They arrived on a Saturday evening; were met at the station by the
hospitable Stones; driven at once to the quarters of that efficient and
valuable commanding officer; were the recipients on Sunday of many
calls, the guests of honor at dinner Monday evening, at which function
they met three of the senior officers and the adjutant of the
Sixty-first, each accompanied by his better half; were again on dinner
duty Tuesday evening to meet eight others prominent in the military
social swim, and at nine o'clock were escorted to the hop room, where
the regimental band and practically all the officers and ladies of the
garrison were arrayed to welcome them and where until midnight the dance
moved merrily on.

To neither dinner was Mrs. Ray invited. She preferred not to make a
formal call on Sunday, and when, accompanied by Priscilla and her eldest
son, she appeared at the colonel's quarters on Monday afternoon, Mrs.
Dwight and Mrs. Stone had not yet returned from a drive. As little Jim
had spent a long hour that morning with his and his own mother's old
friend--Dwight himself bringing him over--it is within the bounds of
possibility that the drive had been mentioned. The major had remained
but a few moments. He was obviously nervous and ill at ease. He had that
matter of his change of mind about the quarters to explain, and Marion
had desired that he say nothing whatever about it. It was his right. He
was bound to consult his wife's wishes before those of any other woman,
so why refer to it? But Dwight haplessly stumbled on. There was still
something to be said. Mrs. Dwight had expecte