lue or gray?"

"Gray," she answered; then colored hotly as she met his amused gaze.

"You did not notice me this morning," continued the senator, lowering
his voice so the others could not hear, "and Major Goddard had eyes but
for you--small blame to him!"

Nancy drew a long, slow breath of relief, and the carmine receded from
her cheeks.

"Major Goddard is very good-looking," she said composedly. "His
coloring is a decided relief from the many blond men one meets
nowadays. Blue-black hair and gray eyes are an unusual combination."

"Did you see the President to-day, Senator?" inquired their host,
Colonel Mitchell, breaking in on the conversation; and Nancy sat back
in her chair, glad of a moment's respite in which to collect her
thoughts. Her head ached, and she pushed the soft hair from off her
forehead with an impatient hand. Would her chaperone never make the
move to leave?

Their table was in one corner, and Nancy sat with her back to the other
diners. Mrs. Warren and the two men were soon absorbed in a heated
argument as they slowly sipped their coffee. Nancy turned impatiently
in her seat, and surveyed the animated scene behind her with restless,
tired eyes.

Washington, filled with strangers from all sections of the country
lying north of Mason and Dixon's line, was a city of perpetual unrest.
Besides the soldiers stationed in the encircling camps and
fortifications, regiments were continually passing through the capital
on their way to and from the front. Statesmen, government contractors,
and shoddy politicians haunted hotel lobbies and restaurants.

Gautier's, where many of the old residents and statesmen congregated,
was more than usually crowded that night, and the Frenchman had
difficulty in supplying the wants of his patrons; so earlier in the
evening he had engaged extra waiters to meet the emergency.

The stringed orchestra in the gallery ceased playing, and in the
momentary lull Nancy's quick ear caught fragments of conversation
between two officers seated at the adjoining table. Interested, she
gently edged her chair nearer to the men; then, leaning back, pretended
to be absorbed in watching some new arrivals, as Sam, who was earning
an honest penny by doing extra work on his night off from Wormley's,
deftly removed the dessert plates.

"I tell you, Jim," Nancy heard the older officer say positively, "Grant
intends to have Sheridan join him as soon as he breaks winter camp."

"Nonsense,