down and smiled; but
vaguely. He did not speak; and she was aware that it was at her
appearance he had smiled, as if that only reached him through his
preoccupation and pleased him. And since he seemed content with this
vague looking, she was content to move beside him silent, a mere image
of youth and--since he liked it--of prettiness, with a fleeting color
and a gust of little curls blowing out under a fluttering veil.

But what was he thinking about so seriously between those smiling
glances? Not her problem, she was sure.

Yet he had stayed for her when he had not meant to stay. He had been
anxious to get away since he had first sighted them. Surely he must like
her more than he disliked some other member of her party. Or had he
simply reached forth out of his kindness to rescue her, as he might have
rescued a blind kitten that he pitied? "No," he had said, "_you_ could
not have done anything different."

They had almost reached the major's gate, and it was now or never to
find out what he thought of her. She looked up at him suddenly, with
inquiring eyes.

"Do you think I am weak?" she demanded.

The lines of his face broke up into laughter. "No," he said, "I think
you are misplaced."

She knitted her brows in perplexity, but his hand was on the white
picket gate, and she had to walk through it ahead of him as he set it
open for her.

Of their party only the two women were in sight waiting on the
diminutive veranda. Clara had a mild domestic appearance, rocking there
behind the potted geraniums. All the windows were open into the little
shell of a house. Trunks still stood in the hall, though the Purdies had
been quartered at the Presidio for nine months. From the rear of the
house came the sound of bowl and chopper, where the Chinese cook was
preparing luncheon, and the major's man appeared, walking around the
garden to the veranda, with a cluster of mint juleps on a copper tray.

In this easy atmosphere, how was it that the thread of restraint ran so
sharply defined? Clara and Mrs. Purdie were matching crewels; and,
sitting on the top step Flora instructed Kerr as to the composition of
the tropical glacier they were drinking. Ten girls had probably so
instructed him before, but it would do to fill up the gap. It was so,
Flora thought, they were all feeling. Even the carriage, driving slowly
round and round the rectangle of officers' row, added its note of
restlessness.

Like a stone plumped into a poo