nd kept
the others incessantly drilling at camp. Mrs. Abbot, motherlike, had
more than once suggested to her son that he ought to be able to visit
town more frequently, and on his replying that it was simply impossible,
and that none of the officers could leave their duties, had triumphantly
pointed to Mr. Hollins.

"But he is quartermaster," said Paul, "and has to come on business."

"He manages to combine a good deal of pleasure with his business," was
the tentative response, and Abbot knew that he was expected to ask the
nature of Mr. Hollins's pleasures. He was silent, however, much to his
mother's disappointment, for he had heard from other sources of the
frequency with which Mr. Hollins and Miss Winthrop were seen together.
Finding that he would not ask, Mrs. Abbot was compelled to suppress the
inclination she felt to have her suspicions dragged to light. She wished
he had more curiosity, or jealousy, or something; but in its absence she
could only say,

"Well, I wish you were quartermaster, that's all."

And now that he _had_ asked her if there were no other reason, there was
something in his placid tone she did not like. A month agone she wanted
him to know of Mr. Hollins's evident attentions to Genevieve because it
would probably, or possibly, spur him into some exertion on his own
account. Now that she felt sure he had heard of it, and it had not
spurred him, she was as anxious to conceal the fact that, both to Mrs.
Winthrop and herself, these attentions were becoming alarming. If he did
_not_ care for Viva, the chances were that so soon as he found that
public attention had been drawn to her acceptance of such devotions,
Paul would drop the matter entirely, and that would be a calamity.
Knowing perfectly well, therefore, what was in his mind when he asked
the question, Mrs. Abbot parried the thrust. Though she flushed, and
her voice quivered a little, she looked him straight in the face.

"There is, Paul. I--think she has a right to expect it of you;
that--that she does expect it."

Abbot looked with undisguised perplexity into his mother's face.

"You surprise me very much, mother; I cannot, see how Viva would betray
such an idea, even if she had it; it is not like her."

"Women see these things where men cannot," was the somewhat sententious
reply. "Besides, Paul--"

"Well, mother, besides--?"

"Mrs. Winthrop has told me as much."

That evening, before returning to camp, Lieutenant Abbot went r