The speech was duly repeated, with additional assurances which Mackenzie knew would please the chief, and the visit was ended with much ceremony. Ronald was coming across the river, and Beatrice lingered upon the piazza until he opened the gate, when she gathered up her paints and went into the house without a word of greeting. There was a shade of annoyance in the Ensign's salutation, but he made no allusion to the girl. "Come on out for a bit," suggested Robert; "I want to talk to you." They went north along the river bank in silence until they were out of sight of the house, then Robert turned suddenly and faced him. "Say," he said, "did you tell any one about my--about yesterday, you know?" "No," answered Ronald, meeting his eyes squarely; "why?" "Oh--nothing. Are you sure you didn't say anything that would lead any one to suspect?" "'Nary peep, unless I talked in my sleep. When I found out that you'd drained my flask of everything but the smell, I went to Doc after a new supply, and when he asked me what had become of it I told him you'd taken to drink, but that was all. Now, I'll ask you a few questions. Why doesn't Miss Manning want me to come over?" "Why, I don't know," replied Forsyth, wonderingly; "doesn't she?" "Doesn't look like it," grumbled the other. "Didn't you see her gallop into the house the minute I opened the gate?" "I didn't notice." "You would, if she'd done it to you." Ronald was plainly in a bad humour. "What's more, if I speak to her, she never answers me decently. A girl never treated me like that before," he fumed; "just wait till I get my new uniform!" "When is it coming?" asked Forsyth, glad of the chance to change the subject. "Dunno--the boys are going to start early in the morning, but there's no telling when they'll get back." "Are you going?" "Indeed, and I am not. How can I go when there's no horse for me?" "I thought you were going to--to borrow," stammered the other. "Hardly!" The Ensign stopped and wiped his forehead with his sleeve. "Suffering Moses!" he said, "wouldn't she be mad!" "Yes, I think she would, but I don't see why. She lets you lead Queen, doesn't she?" "Oh, Lord, yes! I'm allowed to lead the beast twenty times around the Fort every day for exercise--she said we both needed it, and she didn't want to ride while it was so hot,--but she particularly impressed it upon me that under no circumstances was I to mount. A groom--a stable boy,--that's what she thinks I am! I believe I'll tell her to lead her own nag!" "I wouldn't," returned Forsyth. "Why not?" demanded the other. "What do you know about women?" "Not very much," admitted Robert, laughing; "but we're all at sea there, I fancy."