he and Ray occupied
in partnership) at all hours of the day or evening; he was properly
attentive at the colonel's, and called frequently upon the young ladies
visiting the Waynes' and Heaths' and Billings' (Mrs. Turner never would
have young ladies with her, they were too distracting), and of course he
was subjected to incessant queries about Miss Sanford. It was too absurd
to deny the engagement, said the garrison, for everybody knew he wrote
regularly and she answered. Nevertheless, Ray, Truscott, Stannard, and,
of course, Mrs. Truscott and Mrs. Stannard, denied that any engagement
existed. Ray and Marion had quietly decided, as has been indicated, that
there should be none, until--until he could offer her a little army
home. But denials only stimulated the womenfolk into hazarding ingenious
questions and suggestions, and the men to various conjectures more or
less wooden-headed. At first it was theorized that he had proposed and
been rejected; that was disposed of by her frequent letters. Then that
"she had him on probation," and would marry him if he could keep clear
of the old temptations a year,--two years or so,--unless some fellow
came along meantime and swept her off. Bets were hazarded on the
different events, and there was no end of talk about it, and Ray was the
object of much sentimental interest among the ladies. One thing,
however, was clearly observable. They, the ladies, with the confiding,
caressing, insinuating, and delicious impertinence of the sex, could and
would hazard their suggestions to him in person, and were laughingly
parried; but if any one among the men were ass enough to suppose that
_all_ the old Ray had vanished he had only just to attempt to be
jocularly familiar or inquisitive with him on that or a kindred subject,
and get a Kentucky kick, as Blake called Ray's snubs, that would make
him red in the face for a week. Poor Crane was the victim of the final
experiment, and it was his last attempt to be facetious for many a weary
month. It was a snapping December morning, one of the Advent Sundays,
Truscott was officer of the day, and Ray had escorted Mrs. Truscott to
church in town, and it so happened that a number of officers were in the
club-room (for the colonel and Billings had gone away to North Platte on
a court-martial, and the major did not care to haul in on the reins
while the chief was absent), and looking out on the wintry prairie as
they came driving into the garrison. There w