n incipient mustache had developed itself;
and, though it presented nothing remarkable, it gave brilliant promise of
soon becoming all that its ambitious owner could possibly desire,
especially as he was a reasonable person, and had no taste for
monstrosities. He had paid proper attention to this ornamental appendage,
which is so indispensable to the making-up of a soldier; and the result,
if not entirely satisfactory, was at least hopeful.

The subject of our remarks wore his sash and belt, and carried his sword
in his hand, for the reason that he had no other convenient way of
transporting them. Our natural pride, as his biographer, leads us to
repeat that he was a fine-looking young man; and we will venture to say,
that the young lady who occupied the seat on the opposite side of the car
was of the same opinion. Of course, she did not stare at him; but she had
two or three times cast a furtive glance at the young officer; though the
operation had been so well managed, that he was entirely unconscious of
the fact.

Inasmuch as this same young lady was herself quite pretty, it is not
supposable that she had entirely escaped the observation of our gallant
young son of Mars. We are compelled to say he had glanced in that
direction two or three times, to keep within the limits of a modest
calculation; but it is our duty to add that he was not captivated, and
that there is not the least danger of our story degenerating into a
love-tale. Lieutenant Somers thought she was nearly as pretty as Lilian
Ashford; and this, we solemnly declare, was the entire length and breadth
of the sentiment he expended upon the young lady, who was certainly
worthy of a deeper homage.

She was in charge of an elderly, dignified gentleman, who had occupied
the seat by her side until half an hour before the appearance of Captain
de Banyan; but, being unfortunately addicted to the small vice of
smoking, he had gone forward to the proper car to indulge his propensity.
Lieutenant Somers had studied the faces of all the passengers near him,
and had arrived at the conclusion that the lady's protector was a
gentleman of consequence. He might be her father or her uncle; but he was
a member of Congress, the governor of a State, or some high official,
perhaps a major-general in "mufti." At any rate, our hero was interested
in the pair, and had carried his speculations concerning them as far as
theory can go without a few facts to substantiate it, when hi