o the academy now. We could not get sight of
Sylvan. The rules and regulations of the military school are as strict
and immutable as the laws of the Medes and Persians," said old Aaron
Rockharrt, as he dropped heavily into a great armchair, leaned back and
presently fell asleep.

Cora never liked to see him fall into these sudden deep slumbers. She
feared that they were signs of physical decay.

She sat at a front window, which, from the elevated point upon which the
hotel stood, looked down upon the brilliant scene below, where crowds of
handsomely dressed ladies were walking about the beautiful grounds. She
sat watching them some time, and until she saw the tide of strollers
turning from all points, and setting in one direction--toward the
academy.

Then she glanced at her grandfather. Oh! how old and worn he looked when
he lost control of himself in sleep. She touched him lightly. He opened
his eyes.

"What is it? Has the telegram come from Mrs. Stillwater?" he inquired.

"No, sir; but the visitors are pouring into the academy, and I am
afraid, if we do not go over at once, we shall not be able to find a
seat," said Cora.

"Oh, yes, we shall. Strange we do not get an answer from Mrs.
Stillwater," said the old man anxiously, as he slowly arose and began to
draw on his gloves and looked for his hat.

Cora went and found it and gave it to him.

Then she put on her bonnet.

Then they went down together, crossed the grounds, and entered the
great hall, which was densely crowded. Good seats had been reserved for
them, and they found themselves seated next the Dean of Olivet on Cora's
right and the Wall street broker on Mr. Rockharrt's left.

I do not mean to trouble my readers with any description of this by-gone
exhibition. They can read a full account of such every season in every
morning paper. Merely to say that it was late in the afternoon when the
exercises were over for the day.

Mr. Rockharrt and Cora Rothsay returned to the hotel to a very late
dinner.

The first question that the Iron King asked was whether any telegram had
come for him. He was told that there was none.

"It is very strange. She could not have received mine," he said, and he
went directly to the telegraph office of the hotel and dispatched a long
message to the clerk of the Blank House, telling him of how Mrs.
Stillwater had been separated from her party by the pressure of the
crowd, and how she had thereby missed their train, an