had just boasted to himself, he was powerful enough
to be able to overpower Dick in a hand-to-hand conflict, yet the
scoundrel meant to attack Prescott unawares, without giving the
latter a chance to defend himself.

Then, too, the sight of Laura, looking sweeter and more beautiful
than she had ever appeared in her life, goaded Jordan on to greater
fury.

"That is the very girl I had planned to cut Prescott out with,
after he had been kicked from the service, and I was still in
the uniform. But it fell out the other way about," gritted Jordan.
"Prescott wears the uniform, and I've been dishonorably dropped
from the rolls! Prescott, I've a double score to settle with you
to-night!"

But of all this, of course, Prescott was wholly unaware.

"How much time have we to spare?" queried Dick, then glancing
at his watch. "Ten minutes. Laura, will you stroll around the
Hall with me and look down over the cliff at the noble old Hudson!
This will be one of my last glimpses as a cadet."

Laura assented. Greg was about to follow, when Belle Meade drew
him back.

"Take me inside," she urged. "I am eager to see the decorations."

"But Dick and Laura?" queried Greg.

"They're of age and can take care of themselves," smiled Miss
Meade.

Dick Prescott's heart was beating, now, like a trip-hammer. Even
the next day's graduation, and the entrance into the Army looked
insignificant to him compared with the question of his fate that
was now seething in his brain and which he must now have settled.

Two or three times he opened his lips to speak, then closed them,
as the two young people stood glancing down at the river through
the darkness.

"Aren't you unusually silent, Dick?" asked Laura.

"Perhaps so," he assented in a low voice. "I'm scared."

"Scared!"

"Yes; scared cold. I never knew such a fright in my life before."

"Why, what-----"

"Laura, I reckon the brief, direct way of the soldier will be best.
Laura, ever since we were in High School together I have loved you.
Through all the years that have followed, that love has never
slumbered for an instant. It has grown stronger with every passing \
week. I-----"

With a little cry Laura Bentley drew back.

"I'm going right through to the end," cried Dick desperately. "Then
you can throw cold water over me---if you must. Laura, I love you,
and that love is nearly all of my life! I ask you to become a
soldier's bride---mine!"

"And---and---is that