o
realize that he has made an ass of himself. Wells had been after him
with a hot stick on discovering that the only authority for his
accusations against Miss Wallen was "that devil's tool Elmendorf and a
creature of his own coaching." Allison knew, moreover, that Forrest was
back, commanding a company of his regiment, for his own associates were
pouring into his ears their praises for Forrest's nerve and calm courage
in facing with only twenty men a furious mob of nearly a thousand and
rescuing some so-called "scabs" from their hands, poor fellows who had
been pulled from the platforms of the P.Q. & R. trains. "He's 'way down
below the stock-yards, anyhow, and won't be there to-night," said
Allison to himself: so, at ten o'clock, with Florence on his arm, he
entered the brilliantly lighted parlor. It was full of well-gowned women
and of men in the appropriate garb of the hour and occasion, while not a
few of the officers were in uniform. The general and some of his staff
were almost the first to greet them. Presently Mr. Sloan joined the
party, and the first thing he did was to begin telling of Forrest's
prediction as to the attitude of the general government in the event of
trouble. Allison shifted uncomfortably, the general and his aides looked
politely interested, and somebody attempted to make some arch remark for
Miss Allison's ears, but she was plainly nervous and ill at ease. The
chief presently presumed Miss Florence had heard how admirably Forrest
had behaved in the rescue of certain railway men from the mob the
previous day, and Florence owned that she had heard nothing at all,--it
was the first intimation she had that Forrest was there; whereat the
three officers looked astonished and embarrassed. Evidently something
was amiss. There had perhaps been a quarrel. "Oh," said Captain Morris,
in prompt explanation, "Forrest was away down in the depths of Oklahoma
when he heard his regiment was ordered here, and he had to wait for
telegraphic authority to come on. He never even got up into town. His
company was at Grand Crossing, and he joined it there. He hasn't been
north of the stock-yards since."

But Allison got away as quickly as possible. This sort of thing wasn't
helping Flo to forget, and presently Flo herself concluded she'd rather
go home, and just at eleven o'clock they came forth to their carriage.
Three officers in full uniform were directly in front, chatting with two
others in rough campaign rig,