r rather doubtful smile.

"You have some experience of life at Fort Farthermost?" remarked Corona
pleasantly.

"No; not at that particular fort. We have never been quite so far as
that yet. It is a new fort--an outpost really on the extreme
southwestern frontier, as I understand. We shall have to cross what used
to be called the Great American Desert to reach it. We go first to
Leavenworth, and, of course, the journey to Leavenworth is easy enough.
But from Leavenworth the long, tedious traveling by army wagons over the
plains and through the wilderness to the southwestern forts will try
your endurance, my dear."

"Come, come!" said the captain, heartily; "it is not all unmitigated
dreadfulness. To be sure we have no railroads through the wilderness, no
fine city hotels to stay at; but, then, there are some few forts along
the line of travel, where we can stop a day or two to rest, and have
good sport. And when we have no fort at the end of a day's journey, it
is not very awful to bivouac under the shelter of some friendly rock or
in the thicket of some forest. The wagons by day make good couches by
night; and as for the bill of fare, a haunch of venison from a deer shot
by some soldier on the road, and cooked on a fire in the open air, has a
very particularly fine flavor. All civilized condiments we carry with
us. As for amusements, though we have no theaters or concerts, yet there
is always sure to be some fellow along who can sing a good song, and
some other fellow who can tell a good story. I rather think you will
enjoy the trip as a novelty, Mrs. Rothsay. I observe that most young
people do."

"I really think I shall enjoy it," assented Corona.

"I hope that you will be able to endure it, my dear," added Mrs.
Neville.

"You see the journey is no novelty to my wife, Mrs. Rothsay. She has
spent all her married life on the frontier. Thirty years ago, my dear
lady, I received my first commission as second lieutenant in the Third
Infantry, and was ordered to Okononak, Oregon. I married my sweetheart
here, and took her with me, and she has been with me ever since; for we
both agreed that anything was better than separation. We have raised
children, and they have married and left us, and we have never been
parted for a week. We have lived on the frontier, and know every fort
from the confines of Canada to those of Mexico. We have lived among
soldiers, savages, pioneers, scouts, border ruffians, wild beasts, and
ve