sought her room. There had
been a drive to town during the afternoon, and a pleasant dance at the
hop-room afterwards. Not once had she had an opportunity of speaking
alone with Mrs. Truscott, nor was she quite certain of what she wished
to say even had the opportunity occurred. For several days previous to
their start from the Point, Sergeant Wolf, with others of the cavalry
detachment, had been constantly at the house packing goods and
furniture. Nothing could exceed the punctilious distance and respect
with which he addressed the ladies whenever occasion required that he
should speak to them at all; but Miss Sanford could not forget his
mysterious conduct the night she discovered him at the front gate. Once
she spoke with half-laughing hesitancy of the assiduity with which the
sergeant devoted all his spare time to his captain's service, or to
madame's, and Grace had looked so annoyed that she ceased further
mention of him. She wanted to tell her of his being at the gate that
night, and his going around under the library-window, but it proved a
difficult thing, and she postponed it from day to day. Then came the
sudden departure of the sergeant and his party for New York, where they
were ordered to report at a recruiting rendezvous. Believing that they
had seen the last of him she breathed freer, and decided to keep the
story of his midnight visit to herself, at least for a time; and now
here he was again, and his coming had evidently startled her friend. She
wanted, above all things, to have a frank talk with Mrs. Truscott. This
keeping a secret from her was distressing, and she could not bear the
thought of a possible cloud or misunderstanding between them, but poor
Grace had totally forgotten the existence of such a person as Wolf by
the time they got home. She was having a little trouble of her own. They
were strolling across the parade in the brilliant moonlight, Grace on
her stalwart husband's arm, looking up in his face with all her soul in
her eyes, chatting merrily over the events of the day. Miss Sanford was
amiably listening to the dissertation of an infantry friend upon
astronomical matters, while Gleason was elsewhere escorting Mrs.
Whaling. At the door Truscott looked back and hospitably invited the
young officer to enter, but the latter doffed his cap and gallantly said
something to the effect, that all who entered left their hearts behind,
and took himself off with the conviction that he had made a glow