humor
in the situation being the contemplation of how Captain Canker must have
sworn. Then came hurried letters, pencilled in the field, and Leonard
himself took hers to Mrs. Cranston, and then went in search of Mrs.
Davies, whom he found at Darling's quarters, though Darling was not
there. The ladies were at luncheon, and the adjutant contented himself
with sending Mira's missive in. There was a letter for Captain Devers in
the well-known hand of Sergeant Haney. This was sent him by the orderly.
There were others for others, which were duly delivered and brought at
least momentary joy, but Mrs. Cranston's eyes were dancing with delight
when Leonard met her half an hour later.

"I'm going to Mrs. Davies," she said. "I want to read her what the
captain says of her husband's conduct all through that fight of Monday
afternoon. He says he never saw anything calmer or braver in his life."

"Yes, I remember our chaplain's indulging in some prognostication to
that end," said Leonard, gravely; "but, Mrs. Cranston, did you want to
see Mrs. Davies?"

"Why, yes, assuredly."

"Well, she isn't home,--I think you'll find her at Mrs. Darling's."

But Mrs. Cranston's humor changed. She decided to wait and see her
later. She did not care to go to Mrs. Darling's; neither, as it
transpired, did she care to return home, at least not yet awhile. There
were people capable of believing of Mrs. Cranston that she had no
especial interest in Mrs. Davies, personally, and no genuine desire to
communicate to her the tidings which Mrs. Davies, perhaps, could hardly
appreciate. Mira had not once set foot within Mrs. Cranston's door since
their return from the cantonment, and there had been next to no
intercourse between them, and yet on this almost joyous afternoon
Margaret had eagerly seized upon this pretext of leaving Agatha Loomis
alone with Mr. Langston, who had returned that very day from some
investigation at Kearney and Cheyenne, and, after half an hour with Mr.
Leonard, had hastened to her door. He was still in the parlor when the
lady of the house came smilingly in an hour later,--she had been
visiting Mrs. Leonard the while,--but there was constraint in the air.
The boys were out with their ponies. There was no one to entertain him
during her absence but Miss Loomis, and Miss Loomis apparently must have
failed, for Langston's face had grown ten years older, and the moment
Mrs. Cranston left the room, on household cares intent, he mus