Ball followed ball, one packed reception another.

Dinings and sendings of flowers, and evening love-makings--these for the time seemed the main business of Jefferson Barracks.

Social exemptions are always made for Army men, ever more gallant than affluent, and St.Louis entertained these gentlemen mightily with no expectation of equivalent; yet occasionally the sons of Mars gave return entertainments to the limits, or more than the limits, of their purses.

The officers' balls at these barracks were the envy of all the Army; and I doubt if any regimental bands in the service had reason for more proficiency in waltz time.
Of some of these things my hostess advised me as we sat, for the sake of the shade, on the gallery of Number 16, where Stevenson's man of all work had brought a glass-topped table and some glasses.

Here Captain Stevenson presently joined us, and after that escape was impossible.
"Do you suppose Mr.Cowles is engaged ?" asked Kitty of her husband impersonally, and apropos of nothing that I could see.
"I don't think so.