olly's husband is now on the border, and Dolly could stand the
separation no longer. She was going to Texas, and one of the cousins must
come to Plattsburg and take charge of her house. The children wouldn't be
a burden, because there was the very capable nurse who had taken care of
them since they were born. And old Colonel Marsh wouldn't be a bother,
having a certain routine which got him through his days very well. Of
course it would be very dull with all the officers away from the post,
and those at the instruction camp constantly busy. But one of the sisters
must come and relieve her, or Dolly would go mad. She is all bound up in
that husband of hers.

It was plain that she expected Frances to come, being so domestic, and so
old-fashioned-womanly. But Vera, you know, in spite of her suffragism and
her feminism has always been kept by her father from having anything to
do, and so she had nothing to occupy herself with just when she needed
occupation most. So she declared that she must go, and of course Frances
let her. "But you know," said Frances to me, looking up from her sewing
with a little twinkle, "I know Vera will be in hot water with the old
Colonel from the first, she is so out of sympathy with war, and the
military life, and all it has (or hasn't) to offer women." That's her sex
independence, you see.

Vera can't know that you're there. She went just before you so suddenly
made up your mind to go, and Frances hasn't written her of your going. I
told her I shouldn't tell you, and begged her not to write Vera. And
unless Vera recognizes you, which isn't likely, she will know nothing of
your whereabouts.

It is odd that David Farnham is in your squad, and amusing that I should
have seen his mother only yesterday. She never was so proud of anything
in her life as of the fact that he is at Plattsburg. So she has become a
perfect nuisance to her friends, talking of him so. I met her at a
Bridge, and she was crazy to see me, David having written her that you
two are together. So she got herself put at my table, and our two
partners were furious, because the game dwindled away to nothing, she
talking of David all the time. You would have thought that he was the
whole army and navy of these United States. I was at first quite
frightened that she would ask me your opinion of his fitness. But not at
all; that was quite settled in her mind. She talked about his deciding to
go, and how he made her see that it was the