to convey the impression of having fully expected it from the
first. "Of course he'd have come here; if she'd only waited," she
said, sotto voce, to her sister Emily.

"He's certainly the handsomer of the two," responded that young
lady.

"Of course," returned Cicely, with a superior air, "don't you see
she COPIES him."

Not that this private criticism prevented either from vying with
the younger officers in their attentions to Maggie, with perhaps
the addition of an open eulogy of her handsome brother, more or
less invidious in comparison to the officers. "I suppose it's an
active out-of-door life gives him that perfect grace and freedom,"
said Emily, with a slight sneer at the smartly belted Calvert.
"Yes; and he don't drink or keep late hours," responded Cicely
significantly. "His sister says they always retire before ten
o'clock, and that although his father left him some valuable
whiskey he seldom takes a drop of it." "Therein," gravely
concluded Captain Kirby, "lies OUR salvation. If, after such a
confession, Calvert doesn't make the most of his acquaintance with
young Culpepper to remove that whiskey from his path and bring it
here, he's not the man I take him for."

Indeed, for the moment it seemed as if he was not. During the next
three or four days, in which Colonel Preston had insisted upon
detaining his guests, Calvert touched no liquor, evaded the evening
poker parties at quarters, and even prevailed upon some of his
brother officers to give them up for the more general entertainment