Out in the winter night Broussard cursed himself for falling in love with a child, who was an embodied caprice and did not know her own mind--one hour thrilling him with her gladness and her low voice and her violin, and the next, looking at him as if he were a stock or a stone.

But she was so precociously charming! And that unlucky meeting with her and with the Colonel in front of Lawrence's door, with Mrs.Lawrence putting her hand on his shoulder.

Broussard meant to go to the Colonel the very next day and explain the whole business.

The resolve enabled Broussard to sleep in peace that night.
It was noon the next day before Broussard had a chance to ask for an interview with Colonel Fortescue.

Meanwhile, the Colonel had been finding out things.