in Nellie Travers's window. The little note lay in ashes on
the hearth, and she, with burning, shame-stricken cheeks, with a black,
scorching, gnawing pain at her heart, was hiding her face in her pillow.

And yet it was a jolly evening, after all,--that is, for some hours and
for some people. As Mrs. Rayner and her sister were so soon to go,
probably by the morrow's train if their section could be secured, the
garrison had decided to have an informal dance as a suitable farewell.
Their announcement of impending departure had come so suddenly and
unexpectedly that there was no time to prepare anything elaborate, such
as a german with favors, etc.; but good music and an extemporized supper
could be had without trouble. The colonel's wife and most of the cavalry
ladies, on consultation, had decided that it was the very thing to do,
and the young officers took hold with a will: they were always ready for
a dance. Now that Mrs. Rayner was really going, the quarrel should be
ignored, and the ladies would all be as pleasant to her as though
nothing had happened,--provided, of course, she dropped her absurd airs
of injured womanhood and behaved with courtesy. The colonel had had a
brief talk with his better half before starting for the train, and
suggested that it was very probable that Mrs. Rayner had seen the folly
of her ways by that time,--the captain certainly had been behaving as
though he regretted the estrangement,--and if encouraged by a
"let's-drop-the-whole-thing" sort of manner she would be glad to
reciprocate. He felt far less anxiety herein than he did in leaving the
post to the command of Captain Buxton. So scrupulously had he been
courteous to that intractable veteran that Buxton had no doubt in his
own mind that the colonel looked upon him as the model officer of the
regiment. It was singularly unfortunate that he should have to be left
in command, but his one or two seniors among the captains were away on
long leave, and there was no help for it. The colonel, seriously
disquieted, had a few words of earnest talk with him before leaving the
post, cautioning him so particularly not to interfere with any of the
established details and customs that Buxton got very much annoyed, and
showed it.

"If your evidence were not imperatively necessary before this court, I
declare I believe I'd leave you behind," said the colonel to his
adjutant. "There is no telling what mischief Captain Buxton won't do if
left to himsel