had, with blinding, sudden force, that for a time stunned and wellnigh
crushed her. Jack had lifted her in his strong arms and almost carried
her to their room the night when he _had_ to tell her of his
determination, but, once satisfied that his duty was plain, she rallied,
like the soldier's daughter she was, and spoke no word of repining. She
looked up in his eyes and bade him go. True, she cherished faint hope
that in Washington there would be attempt to dissuade him, for she had
good reason to know that in the days whereof we write there were
officials of the War Department who regarded Indian warfare on the
frontier as a matter quite beneath their notice,--one which might of
course concern the officers and men actually engaged, but that could be
of small moment to the Army,--that is, the Army as known to society, as
known to the press, and, 'tis to be feared, as understood by
Congress,--the Army in its exclusive and somewhat supercilious existence
at the National Capital. Colonel and Mrs. Pelham were there, and Jack
would of course see them; and was it not possible that there would be
officials of the highest authority who could convince him that his
services were not needed at the front, but could not be dispensed with
at the Point? Poor Grace! She little dreamed that for such a place as
her husband held there were dozens of applicants, and that senators and
representatives by the score had favorites and friends whom they were
eager to urge for every Eastern detail; and then, even now she did not
entirely know her Jack: so gentle, loving, caressing, as he was with
her, she could hardly realize the inflexibility of his purpose. The
interview with the Secretary of War was over in five minutes, and never
had that functionary experienced such a surprise. He had received
Captain Truscott's card and directed that he be admitted, vaguely
remembering him as the tall cavalry officer whom he had seen at the
Point on the first of the month, and whom, after the manner of his kind,
he had begged "to let him know if there should ever be anything he could
do for him in Washington," and now here he was, and had a favor to ask.
The Secretary sighed and looked up drearily from his papers, but rose
and shook hands with the young officer who entered, and blandly asked
him to be seated. Captain Truscott, however, bowed his thanks, said that
he had just left the adjutant-general, and had his full permission to
present in person this not