imself and implored him to send the horse
back to the stable, only she could not trust herself to speak. But the
second day she could stand it no longer; she boldly assailed Colonel
Whaling, pointed out to him that for two days poor Dandy had been kept
there in the hot sun, tortured by flies, and begged him to exert his
authority and stop it. It made the quartermaster rabid. He knew somebody
must have been interfering, but that night the colonel told him he must
take better care of the sorrel, who was looking badly already, and
ordered him to be returned to the corral for a day or two. But this very
night, as Dandy was being led away, she heard Blake say to Mrs.
Truscott,--

"I'd give anything to buy him and give him to Ray."

"_Could_ you buy him?" she exclaimed, all flushing eagerness.

"Why, yes, if I had an unmortgaged cent, Miss Sanford," he said, with a
nervous laugh.

She rose, her eyes and cheeks aflame, and stood before them, almost
trembling, while her hands worked nervously,--

"Then _do_ it! Mr. Blake. Don't let him suffer another minute! buy
him--for me, no matter what he costs, and then--you give him to Mr. Ray.
I--I mean every word of it. You can have the money this instant,--the
check at least."

Grace sprang up and threw her arms around her neck. "You darling! How I
wish I could do it!" was all she could say, but Miss Sanford was simply
paying no attention to her. She was waiting to hear from Mr. Blake, who
was too much astounded to speak. That evening it was all settled that
Blake should make immediate application to purchase, and he went home
spouting Shakespeare by the page, perfectly enraptured with this new and
unsuspected trait in Marion, and perfectly satisfied that--it was not
for him.

The paper went in, and, preceded by Blake's personal letter to the
staff-officer, was forwarded to Omaha with an unfavorable endorsement.
The post quartermaster had said that except the band horses there were
none there that were not needed by the quartermaster's service, and
daily in use. All the same the order was promptly issued, and came back
in four days with the detail of Colonel Whaling, the post surgeon, and
Mr. Warner. Gleason was not named,--a singular thing, since he was the
only cavalry officer, except Blake, now for duty at the post, and they
had begun officer of the day work. But the very day the board met Ray
was out on his piazza taking the air with "extended limits," and
rejoicing in the