ded. There was not a
symptom of rudeness, not a vestige of irritation or haste, in his tone.
Deep embarrassment, inexpressible sadness even, she read in the brief
glimpse she had of his paling face. It was all a mystery to her and to
the girl seated in silence by her side. Both followed him with their
eyes as he hurried away to the rear of the car, and then, with joyous
shouts, three or four burly, fur-enveloped men came bursting in the
front door, and the two ladies, the baby, and the kitten were pounced
upon and surrounded by a group that grew larger every minute. Released
finally from the welcoming embrace of her stalwart husband, Mrs. Rayner
found time to present the other and younger officers to her sister. As
many as half a dozen had followed the captain in his wild rush upon the
car, and, while he and his baby boy were resuming acquaintanceship after
a separation of many long months, Miss Travers found herself the centre
of a circle of young officers who had braved the wintry blizzard in
their eagerness to do her proper homage. Her cheeks were aflame with
excitement and pleasure, her eyes dancing, and despite the fatigue of
her long journey she was looking dangerously pretty, as Captain Rayner
glanced for a moment from the baby's wondering eyes, took in the picture
like an instantaneous photograph, and then looked again into Mrs.
Rayner's smiling face.

"You were wise in providing against possibilities as you did, Kate," he
said, with a significant nod of the head. "There are as many as a dozen
of them,--or at least there will be when the ----th gets back from the
field. Stannard is out yet with his battalion."

"Oh, yes: we saw them at a station east of here. They looked frozen to
death; and there _are_ ever so many of the soldiers frozen. The
baggage-car is full of them. Didn't you know it?"

"Not a word of it. We have been here for three mortal hours waiting at
the station, and any telegrams must have been sent right out to the
fort. The colonel is there, and he would have all arrangements made.
Here, Graham! Foster! Mrs. Rayner says there are a lot of frozen
cavalrymen forward in the baggage-car. Run ahead and see what is
necessary, will you? I'll be there in a minute, as soon as we've got
these ladies off the train."

Two of the young gentlemen who had been hovering around Miss Travers
took themselves off without a moment's delay. The others remained to
help their senior officer. Out into the whirling ed