so far as the length
of the evening made it possible. Blue and grey, and all colours."

"I don't want you to dance with everybody," said Preston, in a more
undertone growl.

"There is no way to prevent it," said Mrs. Sandford, "but to be there
and ask her yourself."

I did not thank Mrs. Sandford privately for this suggestion; which
Preston immediately followed up by inquiring "if we were going to the
hop to-night?"

"Certainly," Mrs. Sandford said.

"It's too confounded hot!"

"Not for us who are accustomed to the climate," Mrs. Sandford said,
with spirit.

"It's a bore altogether," muttered Preston. "Daisy, are you going
to-night?"

"I suppose so."

"Well, if you must go, you may as well dance with me as with anybody.
So tell anybody else that you are engaged. I will take care of you."

"Don't you wish to dance with anybody except me?"

"I do not," said Preston, slowly. "As I said, it is too hot. I
consider the whole thing a bore."

"You shall not be bored for me," I said. "I refuse to dance with you.
I hope I shall not see you there at all."

"Daisy!"

"Well?"

"Come down and take a little walk with me."

"You said it is too hot."

"But you will dance?"

"You will not dance."

"I want to speak to you, Daisy."

"You may speak," I said. I did not want to hear him, for there were no
indications of anything agreeable in Preston's manner.

"Daisy!" he said, "I do not know you."

"You used to know her," said Mrs. Sandford; "that is all."

"Will you come and walk with me?" said Preston, almost angrily.

"I do not think it would be pleasant," I said.

"You were walking yesterday afternoon."

"Yes."

"Come and walk up and down the piazza, anyhow. You can do that."

I could, and did not refuse. He chose the sunny western side, because
no one was there. However, the sun's rays were obscured under a thick
haze and had been all day.

"Whom were you with?" Preston inquired, as soon as we were out of
earshot.

"Do you mean yesterday?"

"Of course I mean yesterday! I saw you cross into the camp With whom
were you going there?"

"Why did you not come to speak to me?" I said.

"I was on duty. I could not."

"I did not see you anywhere."

"I was on guard. You crossed my path not ten feet off."

"Then you must know whom I was with, Preston," I said, looking at him.

"_You_ don't know--that is the thing. It was that fellow Thorold."

"How came you to be on guard again so soon? You we