nd she could not
solve it. What did it portend that Mrs. Stannard should have cut Mr.
Gleason dead?

Later that afternoon, just before sunset, there was a pretty picture in
front of Truscott's quarters. It had been a lovely day, at the very end
of July, but the air was cool and bracing, and many of the ladies,
seated on the long row of piazzas, or strolling up and down the
gravelled walk, had found it necessary to wear their shawls or wraps.
The band was playing sweetly in the circular stand on the parade, and a
dozen little children were romping about the few patches of green turf
or splashing the water in the narrow _acequias_. The newly-planted
sprigs of trees looked like so many tent-poles stuck up on the edge of
the diamond so far as verdure was concerned, and the dingy brown of the
barracks on the southern side had little that could attract the eye. But
far beyond, across the creek valley, lay the rolling expanse of open
prairie; far beyond that, those glistening, gleaming battlements of
eternal snow standing against the Colorado skies. Only three or four
officers could be seen along the row--only half a dozen soldiers in all
the great garrison. The recruits were all in at supper. The officers and
trained men were all far away to the north. To the delight of the
children Mr. Ray's orderly came up the road leading Dandy, and after
they had crowded around and petted and lauded him while a new halter was
being put on, and his glistening coat touched up for the third time
since his supper of oats, Dandy was slowly led on up the row, stopping
every few rods to be patted and admired by the ladies, and at last
reached Truscott's house, where Ray went and knocked softly, and Miss
Sanford appeared. Together they walked to the gate, and there they
stood. Ray expatiating on the many good points of his pet and comrade,
Miss Sanford stroking the sorrel's arching neck and velvet nozzle, and
looking volumes of adulation into his intelligent eyes. Dandy pawed and
pricked up his ears, and seemed proud and conscious as any human, and
would have purred like a kitten had he only known how, so soft was the
touch of her caressing hand, so sweet was the praise of her gentle
voice. Ray stood and watched her with delight in his eyes.

"Oh, you beauty! Oh, you dear, dear fellow! how I would prize you if you
were mine! Do you dream what a hero you are, I wonder?"

Both her white hands were holding his glossy head now, and Dandy stood
the