d have been easy to prevent
it. As I could not do either, you must give him few opportunities of
visiting them at our house. They will be in their own, though, by the
time he comes."

They were not, however, as we have seen. The major had not contemplated
the possibility of Gleason's taking a "ten days' delay" before reporting
for duty, and so having ample time in which to ingratiate himself with
the ladies. What he would have said in his own vigorous English could he
have seen the lieutenant leaning over Miss Sanford's shoulder as she sat
at the table once more looking through the cavalry album, will not bear
recording in these pages. As Mrs. Stannard herself glanced in from the
hall-way she more than wished that Luce were home if only to hear her
lion growl. She thought anxiously of him and of the situation of affairs
in the Indian country only a hundred miles to the north. She dreaded to
tell Mrs. Truscott of the regiment's prospects for immediate action,
but she determined to try some expedient to rid Miss Sanford and the
house of the presence of Mr. Gleason. Her air was brisk and determined,
therefore, as she entered the parlor.

"The major writes me from the Niobrara crossing that the regiment has
had some sharp chasing to do already, and that they will be across the
trails in two days, when they will certainly have fighting," she said,
looking intently at Mr. Gleason. "What news do you get?"

"Well, my mail has all gone on to Wallace, you see, Mrs. Stannard,"
explained he, unwilling to admit in the presence of the ladies that
nobody in the regiment cared enough for him to write. "It will all be up
to-morrow or next day, I presume, and by that time the troops will be
here, and I'll be myself again. The real cavalryman, Miss Sanford, is
like a fish out of water if separated more than a day from his horse. I
long to be in saddle again," he added, with a complacent glance at the
tall, well-proportioned figure reflected in the mirror. Gleason prided
himself, and not without reason, on his manly build, and was incessantly
finding some means of calling attention to it.

"If the major's views are correct, you will have abundant cavalry duty
this summer, Mr. Gleason," said Mrs. Stannard, "and I was about to ask
you if you heard nothing at the office,--if none of the garrison
officers had letters or news from the front." She hoped he would offer
to go and inquire in person, as he had gone for the mail; but Gleason
pref