th to save them the man whose praise was on every lip
stood bitterly in need of friends, that blackest calumny, that lowest
intrigue, had conspired to pull him down.

It was a week before the four companies rejoined the --th, and the
reunited regiment pushed northwestward towards the Big Horn Mountains;
but by that time Ray with other wounded was being carefully wheeled
back to Russell, where the news of his heroic exploit had preceded him,
and where widely different feelings had thereby been excited. One
household heard it as it will never be forgotten. Mrs. Truscott and Miss
Sanford were just seating themselves at breakfast one bright morning,
when Mrs. Stannard came rushing in all aglow with mingled excitement and
emotion.

"Hurrah for the Sanford colors!" she cried. "Read that! I cannot,--I
cannot!" And throwing them a long despatch, she astonished her next-door
neighbors by fairly bursting into tears.

It was with difficulty that the ladies could recover composure in time
for the inevitable visit that they knew must come from Mrs. Whaling, and
_did_ come at ten o'clock.

CHAPTER XVI.

HOW WE HEARD THE NEWS.

Some strange things had been happening at Russell. Among others the
midnight serenade at Mrs. Truscott's had been repeated. Miss Sanford and
Mrs. Truscott both heard it this time, and when Mrs. Truscott would have
gone to the window to peep and see who it was who sang so delightfully,
Miss Sanford restrained her, quietly saying that this was his second
visit, and she knew it to be Sergeant Wolf. Mrs. Turner and other
ladies, eagerly and naturally curious to find out who it was that
serenaded one house in the garrison twice, and similarly honored no
others, had plied Mrs. Truscott with questions. It was agreed that they
should tell Mrs. Stannard and seek her advice, but avoid all talk with
others. Such resolutions are all very well, but rather impracticable in
view of the indomitable energy with which the sex will pursue a train of
inquiry. It was delightfully romantic, said the ladies, delightfully
sensational some of them thought, and their theory was that some one
must be paying his devotions in this way to Miss Sanford, which would
account for his total obliviousness to the charms of others--married and
single. Mr. Gleason, when first questioned, had assumed that air of
conscious negation, of confirmatory disclaimer, which is calculated to
impress the hearer with the belief that, despite denia