, had said in
answer to some friendly words of remonstrance on the Sunday night
preceding the meeting of the court, that the girl was as heartless and
cold as a stone. No one need worry on her account. It was plain to
Burtis that the young fellow was well-nigh insane about her, and he had
sent a letter ten days before to Langston urging him to come and look
after his kinsman; but Langston was far away at the time and never knew
that Willett had quit the sea-shore and gone back to the charmer in
mid-continent,--never knew, indeed no one ever knew until too late, that
it was she herself who baited the line that drew him there.

There was a gathering at the post on Tuesday evening and all the few
society men were out from Braska. The ladies, in their summer toilets,
sat on the verandas and told one another and their visitors from town
how dreadful it was to be so long bereft of their husbands and
protectors, and Mrs. Flight and Mrs. Darling said they wished with all
their hearts the court had called some witnesses from the infantry.
Surely they knew as much about the matter as some of the cavalry who had
been summoned. There was Mrs. Davies who could expect her husband within
the week, while it might be months before they set eyes on theirs. They
seemed to take comfort in harping on this theme for Willett's benefit,
He sat near Mira's side, as she reclined languidly in her wicker chair,
his eyes glowing, his hands and lips twitching at times, listening and
occasionally addressing low-toned, eager words to her. "Mr. Davies will
have finished his testimony by Thursday at the latest," said Mrs.
Flight, decisively; "I heard Mrs. Leonard say so to the chaplain
to-day," and here she glanced meaningly at Mira; "so what's to prevent
his being here early Friday morning? I know I'd let no grass grow under
my feet."

And Mira could only say she surely hoped so, but she couldn't tell. The
last letter from him was away up near the mouth of Powder River
somewhere, and he thought then they mightn't be home before November;
but she was plainly unwilling to discuss the matter, and with evident
relief took Willett's arm when the musicians presently were heard tuning
up at the hop-room.

But it was noticed then how flushed and excited she looked, how quickly
she seemed to tire of the dance and went out on the veranda for cooler
air, and presently they were missed and were gone from the room the rest
of the evening, so that the hop broke u