ire charge of the case to his
assistant; so that Dr. Weeks was now the medical and surgical attendant
of both the young officers in the north hall, while his senior
continued assiduously to care for the wants of the feminine colony in
the other. It may be said right here, that, so far as those sturdy
"refugees" the Posts were concerned, professional and personal
attentions from Dr. Bayard were both declared unnecessary. Mrs. Post
was a woman of admirable physique and somewhat formidable personality.
She did not fancy the elaborate manners of the surgeon at their first
meeting, and allowed her lack of appreciation of "His Elegancy" to
develop into positive dislike before she had known him a fortnight.
Now, since the "north end" had become a hospital, she was willing to
admit the doctor to her confidence, for the good lady was incessant in
the preparation of comforting drinks or culinary dainties for the two
invalids; but what was the measure of her indignation when she
discovered that Bayard's attentions at "Bedlam" were confined to the
south hall and to Mrs. Forrest's quarters?

He had always been a specialist in the maladies of women and children,
to be sure, and we all know of what vital importance are such
practitioners in our large garrisons. He was a welcome visitor either
at the fireside or in the sick-room of every family homestead on the
reservation--except Mrs. Post's--whensoever he chose to call, but that
his presence at Mrs. Forrest's should be requisite and necessary three
or four times every twenty-four hours was something Mrs. Post could not
be brought to believe, and her scepticism speedily inoculated the
entire community.

Mrs. Forrest declared she did not know how she could have lived through
the terrors of the past week had it not been for Dr. Bayard's delicate
and skilful ministrations. The doctor himself was understood to say
that the poor lady's nervous system was utterly unstrung, that she was
in a hyper-sensitive condition which might readily develop into nervous
prostration unless she was carefully guarded. The officers of the
garrison, when they spoke of the matter at all, which was not often,
laughingly referred to the admirable tactics of the astute physician in
finding excuses for frequent professional visits to a house where it
was now apparent to all he was personally interested. The women, when
they did not speak of the matter to one another, which was seldom
indeed, were divided in thei