worse takes no pains to disguise
it, and in consequence is considered an undesirable dinner guest by
the most experienced housekeepers in the regiment. All this I had often
heard, and recalled every word during the long hours of that night as
I was making plans for the coming day. The combination in its entirety
could not have been more formidable. There was Faye's mother, a splendid
housekeeper--her very first day in our house. His colonel and an
abnormally sensitive palate--his very first meeting with each of us.
His classmate, a young man of much wealth--a perfect stranger to me. A
soldier cook, willing, and a very good waiter, but only a plain everyday
cook; certainly not a maker of dainty dishes for a dinner party. And
my own experiences in housekeeping had been limited to log huts in
outlandish places.

Every little thing for that dinner had to be prepared in our own house.
There was no obliging caterer around the corner where a salad, an ice,
and other things could be hurriedly ordered; not even one little market
to go to for fish, flesh, or fowl; only the sutler's store, where their
greatest dainty is "cove" oysters! Fortunately there were some young
grouse in the house which I had saved for Mrs. Rae and which were just
right for the table, and those West could cook perfectly.

So with a head buzzing from quinine I went down in the morning, and with
stubborn determination that the dinner should be a success, I proceeded
to carry out the plans I had decided upon during the night.

The house was put in splendid order and the dinner prepared, and Colonel
Knight was invited to join us. I attempted only the dishes that could
be served well--nothing fancy or difficult--and the sergeant's wife
remained to assist West in the kitchen. It all passed off pleasantly
and most satisfactorily, and Colonel Fitz-James could not have been more
agreeable, although he looked long and sharply at the soldier when he
first appeared in the dining room. But he said not a word; perhaps he
concluded it must be soldier or no dinner. I have been told several
nice things he said about that distracting dinner before leaving the
garrison. But it all matters little to me now, since it was not found
necessary to take me to a lunatic asylum!

Mrs. Rae saw in a paper that Faye had been shot by a desperado, and
was naturally much alarmed, so she sent a telegram to learn what had
happened, and in reply Faye telegraphed for her to come out, and
f