s captors, and that the
sergeant, though looking sympathetic and far from unkind, was shaking his
head. Mrs. Frost, listless and a little fatigued, had witnessed too many
such scenes in former days of garrison life to take any interest in the
proceeding. "How stupid these people are!" she irritably exclaimed.
"Running like mad and blocking the streets to see a soldier arrested for
absence from camp without a pass. Shan't we drive on?"

"Oh--just one moment, please, Mrs. Frost. He has such a nice face--a
gentleman's face, and he seems so troubled. Do look at it!"

Languidly and with something very like a pout, Mrs. Frost turned her face
again toward the sidewalk, but by this time the sergeant had linked an
arm in that of the young soldier and had led him a pace or two away, so
that his back was now toward the carriage. He was still pleading, and the
crowd had begun to back him up, and was expostulating, too.

"Awe, take him where he says, sergeant, and let him prove it."

"Don't be hard on him, man. If he's taking care of a sick friend give 'm
a chance."

Then the sergeant tried to explain matters. "I can't help myself,
gentlemen," said he; "orders are orders, and mine are to find this
recruit and fetch him back to camp. He's two days over time now."

"Oh, I wish I knew what it meant!" anxiously exclaimed Mrs. Frost's
companion. "I'm sure he needs help." Then with sudden joy in her
eyes--"Oh, good! There goes Colonel Crosby. He'll see what's amiss," and
as she spoke a tall man in the fatigue uniform of an officer of infantry
shouldered his way through the crowd, and reached the blue-coated
quartette in the center. Up went the hands to the shouldered rifles in
salute, and the young soldier, the cause of all the gathering which the
police were now trying to disperse, whirled quickly, and with something
suspiciously like tears in his fine dark eyes, was seen to be eagerly
speaking to the veteran officer. There was a brief colloquy, and then the
colonel said something to the sergeant at which the crowd set up a cheer.
The sergeant looked pleased, the young soldier most grateful, and away
went the four along the sidewalk, many of the throng following.

And then the colonel caught sight of the ladies in the carriage, saw that
one was signaling eagerly, and heard his name called. Hastening to their
side, he raised his cap and smiled a cordial greeting.

"Oh, I'm so glad you came, colonel, we are so interested in that you