blue Virginia hills.

I inquired for Colonel Meriwether about my hotel in the city, but was
unable to get definite word regarding his whereabouts, although the
impression was that he was somewhere in the farther West. This made it
necessary for me to ride at once to Jefferson Barracks. I had at least
one acquaintance there, Captain Martin Stevenson of the Sixth Cavalry, a
Maryland man whom we formerly met frequently when he was paying suit to
Kitty Dillingham, of the Shenandoah country. After their marriage they
had been stationed practically all of the time in Western posts.

I made my compliments at Number 16 of Officers' Row, their present
quarters at Jefferson. I found Kitty quite as she had been in her youth
at home, as careless and wild, as disorderly and as full of
good-heartedness. Even my story, sad as it was, failed to trouble her
long, and as was her fashion, she set about comforting me, upon her
usual principle that, whatever threatened, it were best be blithe
to-day.

"Come," she said, "we'll put you up with us, right here. Johnson, take
Mr. Cowles' things; and go down to the city at once for his bags."

"But, my dear Mrs. Kitty," I protested, "I can't. I really must be
getting on. I'm here on business with Colonel Meriwether."

"Never mind about Colonel Meriwether," rejoined my hostess, "we'll find
him later--he's up the river somewhere. Always take care of the
important things first. The most important thing in the whole world just
now is the officers' ball to-night. Don't you see them fixing up the
dancing platform on Parade? It's just as well the K.O.'s away, because