"He's horrible," exclaimed Stella impatiently. "But that is not the worst of it. Hallie is engaged to marry him some day. Think of it!" "Too bad. Of course she must know nothing of this. She must believe that it was an accident." "Of course. Unless she mentions it we will say nothing about it, and I'll tell her that you do not care to have anything said about it." "That's the thing. Pretty bad outlook for her." "Yes, and the worst of it is, she's crazy about him, and the colonel, her father, is very much in favor of the marriage, and is doing everything he can to bring it about. You see, Barrows is very rich." "Is he the son of Barrows, the railroad multi-millionaire, do you know?" "Yes, Hallie told me all about it. She says his father is going to have him promoted through his influence in Washington to be military attache to one of our embassies in Europe. He has completely dazzled her with his wealth, and the prospects ahead of her." "Too bad." "And she is such a sweet and sensible girl, but she has no mother, and the other ladies at the post, especially Mrs. Calhoun, the major's wife, have put a lot of nonsense into her head." "Well, if she comes with us, we'll try to get some of it out." "It looks as if Ben was trying to do that now," said Stella, pointing to where Ben was talking to the girl, who was laughing happily. "Yes, or putting a lot of another brand into it." "Don't they make a handsome couple. Ben is such a fine-looking chap in the saddle. I wish he would do something to cut out Barrows." "Look out. Don't you go to meddling in this affair," laughed Ted. "Well, here we are at the colonel's. I reckon he didn't count on this addition to his table." As they rode up to the others, Hallie Croffut was insisting that the other boys remain for dinner, and the colonel, hearing the contention from his chair on the veranda, came down to add his invitation to that of his daughter. So it was that they all stayed, and just before dinner was announced Lieutenant Barrows rode up and joined the group. He was hot and dusty, and in a bad temper. He acknowledged the introductions to the boys superciliously, and barely nodded to Ted. Hallie looked at him with a puzzled frown, but said nothing, and entered the house with Stella. During dinner Ben sat at the left hand of Hallie, with Barrows opposite. Ben was in his usual good spirits, and was so easy and gentlemanly in his deportment, in spite of his rough clothes, that Stella was quite proud of him. While he kept Hallie in a constant gale of laughter by his witty remarks, Barrows did nothing but scowl at him, when he was not casting sinister glances at Ted, who, however, never looked at him. After dinner the girls rushed away to get ready for the trip, and the boys went out on the veranda to wait for them, while the colonel and Barrows went into the library, ostensibly to talk over business of the post, as Barrows was officer of the day.