opposite the barrack entrance, a carriage drove in past the
guard-house, the guard presenting arms, and circled the parade in the
direction of officers' row. It contained a soldier driver and two
ladies, and the Sergeant's face blushed under its tan as he recognized
Miss McDonald. Would she notice him--speak to him? The man could not
forbear lifting his eyes to her face as the carriage swept by. He saw
her glance toward him, smile, with a little gesture of recognition, and
stood there bareheaded, his heart throbbing wildly. With that look,
that smile, he instantly realized two facts of importance--she was
willing to meet him on terms of friendship, and she had not recognized
him the evening previous as he ran past her in the dark.

Hamlin, his thoughts entirely centred upon Miss McDonald, had scarcely
noted her companion, yet as he lingered while the carriage drew up
before the Major's quarters, he seemed to remember vaguely that she was
a strikingly beautiful blonde, with face shadowed by a broad hat.
Although larger, and with light fluffy hair and blue eyes, the lady's
features were strangely like those of her slightly younger companion.
The memory of these grew clearer before the Sergeant--the whiteness of
the face, the sudden lowering of the head; then he knew her; across the
chasm of years her identity smote him as a blow; his breath came
quickly and his fingers clenched.

"My God!" he muttered, unconsciously. "That was Vera! She has
changed, wonderfully changed, but--but she knew me. What, in Heaven's
name, can she be doing here, and--with Molly?"

With straining eyes he stared after them until they both disappeared
together within the house. Miss McDonald glanced back toward him once
almost shyly, but the other never turned her head. The carriage drove
away toward the stables. Feeling as though he had looked upon a ghost,
Hamlin turned to enter the barracks. An infantry soldier leaned
negligently in the doorway smoking.

"You 're the sergeant who saved that girl down the trail, ain't yer?"
he asked indolently. "Thought so; I was one o' Gaskins' men."

Hamlin accepted the hand thrust forth, but with mind elsewhere.

"Do you happen to know who that was with Miss McDonald?" he asked.

"Did n't see 'em, only their backs as they went in--nice lookin'
blonde?"

"Yes, rather tall, with very light hair."

"Oh, that's Mrs. Dupont."

"Mrs. Dupont?" the name evidently a surprise; "wife of one of th