bey. Abashed, humiliated, rebuked
and in _her_ presence, where he had looked but a moment before to
humble and humiliate his rival, Fitzroy, could only lift his hand in
salute, follow the captain out of earshot, and there make his plea as
best he could, leaving Lanier and the silent young trooper, Dora and her
grave-faced old father, in possession of the field.

For a moment they watched Fitzroy, eagerly gesticulating as he stood at
attention before his superior.

"He'll give you no more trouble, I fancy," said Lanier, in low tone, to
the veterinarian. "I'll say good-night again, Miss Dora;" and he walked
cheerily away, but Mayhew looked after him long and anxiously, then upon
the young people before him, then upon the still protesting sergeant
across the way.

"Maybe not--maybe not," he muttered, with sorrowing shake of the head;
"but few men can give more trouble than--him, when he's minded, and I
reckon he's minded now."

II

Nearly six long months went the regiment afield on the hardest campaign
of its history. Then at last by way of reward it had been ordered in to
big Fort Cushing for the winter. It was close to town, close to the
railway--things that in those days, thirty years ago, seemed almost
heavenly. The new station was blithe and merry with Christmas
preparations and pretty girls. All the married officers' families had
rejoined. Half a dozen fair visitors had come from the distant East. The
band was good; the dancing men were many; the dancing floor was fine,
and the dance they were having on Friday night, December 16, was all
that even an army dance could be until just after eleven o'clock. Then
something happened to cast a spell over everybody.

Bob Lanier was officer-of-the-guard. Bob had asked the colonel to let
him turn over his sword to a brother officer, who, being in mourning,
could not dance, and the colonel had curtly said no. The colonel's wife
was amazed; she did not dream he _could_ do such a thing. Six girls were
sorrowful, three were incensed, and one was cruelly hurt. She was under
parental orders to start for home on the morrow. It was to be her last
dance at the fort. She liked Bob Lanier infinitely more than she liked
her father's dictum that she must like him not at all. As for Bob
Lanier, the garrison knew he loved her devotedly even before she knew it
herself.

Of course she came to the dance. As the guest of Captain and Mrs. Sumter
she even had to go up and smile on