estion of how he should justify his
recreance to his wife. This did alloy the pleasure with which he began,
after an excellent breakfast at a neighboring cafe, to stroll about
the streets, though he had them almost to himself, so many citizens had
followed the soldiers to the manoeuvres.

It was not till the soldiers began returning from the manoeuvres,
dusty-footed, and in white canvas overalls drawn over their trousers to
save them, that he went back to Mrs. March and Miss Triscoe at the
Swan. He had given them time enough to imagine him at the review, and to
wonder whether he had seen General Triscoe and the Stollers there, and
they met him with such confident inquiries that he would not undeceive
them at once. He let them divine from his inventive answers that he
had not gone to the manoeuvres, which put them in the best humor with
themselves, and the girl said it was so cold and rough that she wished
her father had not gone, either. The general appeared just before dinner
and frankly avowed the same wish. He was rasping and wheezing from the
dust which filled his lungs; he looked blown and red, and he was too
angry with the company he had been in to have any comments on the
manoeuvres. He referred to the military chiefly in relation to the
Miss Stollers' ineffectual flirtations, which he declared had been
outrageous. Their father had apparently no control over them whatever,
or else was too ignorant to know that they were misbehaving. They were
without respect or reverence for any one; they had talked to General
Triscoe as if he were a boy of their own age, or a dotard whom nobody
need mind; they had not only kept up their foolish babble before him,
they had laughed and giggled, they had broken into snatches of American
song, they had all but whistled and danced. They made loud comments in
Illinois English--on the cuteness of the officers whom they admired, and
they had at one time actually got out their handkerchiefs. He supposed
they meant to wave them at the officers, but at the look he gave them
they merely put their hats together and snickered in derision of
him. They were American girls of the worst type; they conformed to no
standard of behavior; their conduct was personal. They ought to be taken
home.

Mrs. March said she saw what he meant, and she agreed with him that
they were altogether unformed, and were the effect of their own ignorant
caprices. Probably, however, it was too late to amend them by taki