om town and the ranches I don't know what we should have done." What
some of them--ay, many of them--did was to gather their little broods
about them morn and night and pray to the Father in heaven for the life
and safety of the father in the field,--to lead pure and patient and
faithful lives, striving to keep their little house in order against his
coming, to teach his children to honor and love his name, to guard that
name from any and every possibility of reproach. What others did was to
accept most liberally the parting injunction, "not to mope, but try to
have a good time and be brave and cheerful," while the soldier went his
way. From this it was an easy step to accept as liberally the proffered
attention of the gentlemen with the charming manners from Braska and
Braska County. It was a gay post, a fashionable post, a frivolous post,
for the tone of garrison life depends immeasurably upon its social
leader, the wife of the commanding officer, and Mrs. Stone was but
little older than her husband's daughters. The latter were East at
school or visiting their own mother's relatives. The former had been a
belle at home and was glad to continue her belledom on the plains. There
were times when Mrs. Stone and the colonel lent the countenance of their
presence to charming little dinners and lunches, or after theatre to
suppers at the leading restaurant in town. There were times when some of
the ladies accepted refreshment there without such official
accompaniment. "Really, one had to drive very frequently to Braska even
if there was no actual shopping, for there was nowhere else to go," was
an oft-heard remark at Scott that summer. But breathes there a woman who
cannot find excuse for shopping? And shopping was hungry work and the
drive was long, the air keen, bracing, appetizing. What more natural
than that Mr. Courtenay and Mr. Fowler of the bank, Mr. Willett or Mr.
Burtis of the Cattle Club,--such charming dancers these,--should
sometimes, indeed frequently, suggest just a little bite, just a hot
bird and a cold bottle at Cresswell's? Such delicious salads as he could
concoct out of even canned shrimp or lobster, such capital oysters as
came to him, fresh, three times a week from Baltimore, such delicious
champagne, so carefully iced. What possible harm could there be in Mrs.
Flight and Mrs. Darling and Mrs. Watson's going together, mind you, and
lunching with their friends? "Why, the ladies at Fort Russell all do the
s