ithout male escort," Dick went on.

"We had escort as far as New York," Laura replied promptly.

"Oh, you did?" inquired Prescott, feeling a swift sinking at heart.

"Yes; Mr. Cameron had to make a flying trip to New York. He had
to come at about this time, so he put it off for three or four
days in order to travel through with us. Wasn't that nice of
him?"

"Extremely nice of him," admitted the cadet rather huskily. "I---I
suppose he will return with you from New York."

"We expect him to," Laura admitted. "But what a great game that
must have been, Dick! How I wish Belle and I had gone over to
Philadelphia to see it."

"It was an exciting game, and a hard-fought one."

Laura chatted on gayly, and at the same time displayed much enthusiasm
over the life at West Point. Yet Dick, though he strove to conceal
the fact, was low spirited over the attentions of Mr. Cameron.

The two cadets had permission to visit at the hotel, so went into
the parlor until the girls joined them there. Later, as there
was no snow on the ground, a stroll about the post was proposed
and enjoyed.

Dick made out Laura's card for the dance that night, while Greg
attended to Belle's. Many were the cadets who glared at Dick
and Greg for not having inscribed their names on the dance cards
of these two very "spoony femmes." (pretty girls.)

After one of her dances with Dick, Belle asked him to lead her out
into the corridor, where the air was cooler.

"Shall I go after your wrap?" asked Dick solicitously.

"Goodness, no," replied Belle. "I'm not as sensitive as that."

Then, abruptly changing the subject, Miss Meade asked: "What do
you think of Mr. Cameron?"

"I saw very little of him," Dick replied.

"But what do you think of him?" Belle insisted.

"I think that, if he is Laura's friend, he must be a fine fellow,"
Dick replied with enthusiasm.

A slight shudder of disappointment passed over Belle.

"Are you beginning to feel chilly, Belle?" asked Dick anxiously.

"If I am, its nervously, not because I am really cold," replied
Miss Meade dryly.

"Why did you ask me what I think of Mr. Cameron?"

"Because I am interested in knowing," Belle answered. "Mr. Cameron
is with Laura a great deal these times."

"Is he?" asked Dick, with another sinking at the heart.

"Oh, yes," Belle replied. "Some folks in Gridley are nodding
their heads wisely, and pretending they can guess what is going
to happen before long. But I'm