d go by same conveyance. It was arranged that
the two officers should be in readiness at the fort, and the coach would
drive through and pick them up.

CHAPTER XVII.

A COWARD'S DEED.

Mr. Ray was hobbling about his room blithe as a lark. He had slept
soundly, awaked refreshed, enjoyed his breakfast and the music of the
band at guard-mounting; was rejoicing in the arrival of Dandy, who had
been sent down from Laramie, and was now in a little paddock in the
back-yard of the quarters he and Blake occupied in company. He had spent
an hour delightfully at Mrs. Truscott's, where the ladies were out
taking the morning air, and finally had come home to write to "the
mother" at Lexington, who, with all her pride in her boy's achievements,
was still vastly worried. She had written to the commanding officer, in
fact, and begged particulars from him, as her son was so averse to
writing. The colonel had shown the letter to Gleason, who happened, as
usual, to be on hand, and Gleason had remarked, "Well! That's what I
always told you. You'll get to know him after a while." Ray had written
a joyous letter to her and a few jolly lines to sister Nell, whose last
letter had perplexed him somewhat, and then, his work finished, he had
risen, and was limping around with the aid of a stick singing lustily
the old darkey camp-meeting lines,--

"Oh, de elder's on de road, mos' done trabbelin',
De elder's on de road, mos' done trabbelin',
De elder's on de road, mos' done er trabbelin';
I'se gwine to carry my soul to de Lawd,"

when the door opened, and in came Blake.

"What ho! Mercutio. _Your_ bosom's lord sits lightly on his throne,
anyhow! What you been drinking, Billy? Getting shot seems to agree with
you. Faith! lad, I've had a joyous morn, chaffing Gleason and
supervising his packing. What a damned sneak that fellow is, anyhow!" he
broke off, in sudden disgust.

"What's he been doing now?"

"Oh!--I can't tell you; just hinting and insinuating as usual. He's no
end grumpy at being sent off; seemed to think he had the inside track
with the Jersey bluebell. (Look out, William, or you'll be moth to that
candle next. She's the winningest thing I ever saw,--winning as four
aces, i' faith!) Gad! Did you hear the K. O. W.'s[A] speech about her?
Hullo! There they go now. She and Mrs. Stannard driving to town.
Wouldn't wonder if they were going just to get rid of having to say
good-by to Gleason. Come, Billy; let'