l of the
last stage reaching Fetterman for three days. Further news would not be
apt to come by letter for a week, by which time the regiment would
probably be hotly engaged, and he himself called back by telegraphic
order as an important witness before the court. This latter probability
he mentioned to no one. He meant to be grievously surprised and
disgusted when the orders came recalling him, and until then his cards
had to be carefully played. None of the ladies at Russell who knew him
at all had intrusted him with letters. All theirs had gone by mail or by
Captain Webb, but when the mail was opened at Fetterman, Gleason
promptly offered to carry forward anything there might be for the
officers of his regiment, and on the way this was carefully assorted. He
had met Stannard and Truscott with beaming cordiality, saying, "Ah! you
well knew I would not come without letters from _your_ better halves,"
and fumbling in inner pockets as though they had been stored there ever
since leaving Russell.

It was not until late that afternoon that Major Stannard received from
Webb the message sent by his good wife, and he was pondering in his mind
what it could mean, when at sunset Truscott strolled over from his troop
to see him. Gleason by this time was being very sociable with the
colonel and Mr. Billings.

"Have you anything from Mrs. Stannard later than the letter you spoke of
this afternoon, major?" asked the captain, whose face was somewhat
anxious.

"Why, yes, Truscott; Webb brought me a message that he said Mrs.
Stannard gave him at the last moment, to the effect that she would have
a long letter for me by next mail, and to be sure and get it. It seems a
little odd."

"My last is a pencilled note from Mrs. Truscott, written but a few
moments before the stage started. She says she sends it out to Fetterman
by the driver, and I suppose our old 'striker' easily got him to take
it; but she speaks of being far from well, nervous, etc., and that Mrs.
Stannard is such a blessing to her,--so constantly with her. I wish
there were something more definite. She writes three pages for the
purpose of telling me not to be anxious, and the very nervousness and
tremulous style give me some cause for worry."

"Why, in my letter Mrs. Stannard speaks of Mrs. Truscott as being so
bright and well, and of their having such good times together, and being
so charmed with Miss Sanford. It hardly seems there could have been so
sudden a chan