g creations, one
she assuredly would not have worn had Percy been there. Everybody had
praised her in one way or another, and many had done so to her face,
Captain and Mrs. Devers, even, taking heart, as they said, from seeing
her so delightfully occupied, came up to congratulate her on being the
belle of the ball and to express every manner of condolence for the
stern necessity which called her husband away. It was a piece of
diplomacy Almira was at a loss to answer.

Of all the women present the two whose opinion she most dreaded and
toward whom she felt absolute aversion, neither congratulated nor
praised her in any way. Miss Loomis smiled and bowed and said,
"Good-evening, Mrs. Davies," in very cheery manner when they met in
promenade. Mrs. Cranston bowed and smiled gravely, stopped, and extended
her hand, which Almira, with heightened color and drooping eyelids, took
nervously.

"I need not say how we deplore the orders, Mrs. Davies. I'm so sorry to
have missed you to-day. Won't you lunch and dine with us to-morrow and
talk over plans? We shall be so glad to have you."

And Almira faltered that she had promised to lunch at Mrs. Darling's and
spend the afternoon, and was afraid she couldn't promise to come to
dinner, and Mrs. Cranston understood. They went home early, did the
Cranston's,--that is, early for Fort Scott,--whereas Mrs. Davies,
influenced by her energetic friends, danced until long after midnight,
and then sat up and talked it all over until long after two.

"Willett's simply gone on you," was Mrs. Flight's significant remark.
"No wonder lots of our primmers looked blue to-night. Willett used to
dance with Mrs. Wright and Mrs. Hay all the time, but he hardly looked
at them to-night. And did you see the look Miss Loomis gave him when he
invited her? He says she snubbed him outright." No, Almira hadn't seen,
but she had caught almost every look that Willett gave her, and was
thinking more of those and of what he said, and of his plea that she
should be at Mrs. Darling's for luncheon next day,--they wouldn't drive
back to Braska until afternoon,--and of the ball they meant to give at
the railway hotel in town, to return the courtesies of their friends at
the fort. He was to lead the german, and might have to lead it with Mrs.
Courtenay of the bank, who was the leader of local society but couldn't
dance any more than he could fly, and if Mrs. Davies would only promise
to be there all would be bliss. Mrs