"My dear girl!" exclaimed Trif. "I beg a thousand pardons. Let me see; what can I do? I don't see what, except to caution Trixy very carefully; and as she is the most conscientious little thing in the world, and----" "And the leakiest," added Kate. "Be quiet, Kate! I won't have the dear child maligned. She never tells anything she is ordered not to--unless she is asked. I shall tell her that she will make great unhappiness for two people who love her dearly if she says anything to anybody about anything which she has heard or--ahem!--seen this evening. Of course, no one will question her, for no one has any reason to suspect anything, and, of course, nothing in the manner of either of you will give any ground for curiosity." "'Twould be awful--simply too awful," moaned Kate, "if anyone should learn what has happened on so short acquaintance. Beside, I'd be the principal sufferer, whereas it wasn't in the least particular my fault." "'Twas all your fault, my dear," protested Jermyn. "If you hadn't been the most incomparable woman in all the world----" "Please don't forget," interrupted Kate, "that we are not alone." "I'll take Trixy aside at once," said Trif, "and caution her thoroughly." "You will make us everlastingly your debtors," said Jermyn. "Let me find her for you." While the young man was absent, the two women talked as rapidly and earnestly and ecstatically as only women can talk about the most important event--but one--that can befall one of their sex. Almost as soon as Jermyn returned with the child, an orderly from the fort appeared with the word that the officer was wanted at his company quarters, so Jermyn bade a reluctant adieu, and hurried away. As he passed through the postern gate of the fort, he met an officer who seemed to be looking for some one, and who exclaimed: "Hurry along, old fellow! Every one is waiting impatiently." "Every one waiting? What has happened?" "You'll learn in a moment." "Has some high government official died, and are all the troops at the fort to attend the funeral?" "No such bad luck; at any rate, you won't have to go into mourning." So saying, the officer led Jermyn into the club, where the wondering man found several officers of his own rank, and all bachelors. As Jermyn entered, all arose, with glasses in their hands, and one of them shouted: "Here's Jermyn!" "Jermyn!" shouted the others in chorus, after which each man drained his glass and refilled it. Then some one shouted: "Hats, off gentlemen! Here's 'Her!'" "Her!" responded the chorus, and again the glasses were drained. "What are you fellows talking about?" asked Jermyn, with a savage frown. "Don't lose your temper, old fellow," said one of the party. "You know that we're not given to prying into the personal affairs of our comrades, but this information came to us unsought." "Not only unsought," said Lieutenant Prewser, "but we did all in our power to avoid getting it--didn't we, Groston?"