Gleason gritted his teeth and went for more chairs. Mrs. Turner had
appeared on her own gallery just before, possibly with the intention of
starting a rival levee, and one or two youthful moths were fluttering
about her candle already. She was not averse to a flirtation,
ordinarily, but it did not look well to see her sitting with only one or
two of the infantry subalterns when Mrs. Stannard's piazza was filled.
She wisely determined to join the majority; smilingly transferred
herself and escort thither, and was as smilingly welcomed. There must
have been a dozen in the group--officers and ladies--when the commanding
officer's orderly entered the gate, saluted Mr. Gleason, and said,--

"Colonel Whaling's compliments, sir, and could you tell him when
Lieutenant Ray will be here?"

The ladies looked up in surprise. The officers--all of whom remembered
the name in connection with what had been said by Messrs. Crane,
Wilkins, and Gleason himself--listened for his reply. Gleason was quick
to note the silence and to divine its cause.

"Give my compliments to the colonel, and say that I do not know. I have
not seen or heard--rather, I have not seen Mr. Ray since leaving Kansas
City," he replied.

For a moment no one spoke. Then, as the orderly walked away, Mrs.
Stannard, coloring slightly, turned full upon the lieutenant. "Mr.
Gleason, it seems strange that you should know nothing of Mr. Ray's
movements. You are generally well informed, and the major writes me how
pleasantly they are looking forward to Ray's coming. You know that out
in the regiment they expect him by 'pony express,'" she laughingly said,
for the benefit of her silent auditors.

Gleason well divined her object. It was to convey to the garrison
officers that Ray was popular among his comrades at the front, however
he might be regarded by those at the rear. He had already committed
himself in presence of several of those now in the party, and he
answered,--

"I'm afraid some people will be disappointed, then. To begin with, there
is no way of his reaching the regiment until Truscott and Webb go up
with their companies. He could get no farther than Laramie by stage even
were he here to try; but he isn't here,--and he isn't likely to be,
either."

"Will you tell me why?" asked Mrs. Stannard, paling now, but looking
fixedly at him with a gleam in her blue eyes that made him wince.

"Well, I'd rather not go into particulars," he muttered, looking
uneasily