Humorous as the affair had seemed to the major before, he could not endure to have his preserver’s sorrow the cause of merriment in any one else; so, deputing Parson Fisher to make their excuse to the hostess when it became possible to penetrate the crowd which had slowly surrounded her, the major took his friend’s arm and returned to the cottage.

“Major!” exclaimed the subaltern, “I—­I half wish I’d let that Indian catch you; then you wouldn’t have spoiled the pleasantest evening I ever had—­ever began to have, I should say.”

“You wouldn’t have had an evening at East Patten then, Fred,” said the major, with a laugh, as he passed the cigars, and lit one himself.  “Seriously, my boy, you must be more careful.  You came here to spend a pleasant three months with me, and the first time you’re in society you act, to a lady you never saw before, too, in such a way, that if it had been any one but a lady of experience, she would have imagined you in love with her.”

“I am in love with her,” declared the young man, with a look which was intended to be defiant, but which was noticeably shamedfaced.  “I’m going to tell her so, too—­that is, I’m going to write her about it.”

“Steady, Fred—­steady!” urged the major, kindly.  “She’d be more provoked than pleased.  Don’t you suppose fifty men have worshiped her at first sight?  They have, and she knows it, too—­but it hasn’t troubled her mind at all:  handsome women know they turn men’s heads in that way, and they generally respect the men who are sensible enough to hold their tongues about it, at least until there’s acquaintance enough between them to justify a little confidence.”

“Major,” said poor Fred, very meekly, almost piteously, “don’t—­don’t you suppose I could make her care something for me?”

The major looked thoughtfully, and then tenderly, at the cigar he held between his fingers.  Finally he said, very gently: 

“My dear boy, perhaps you could.  Would it be fair, though?  Love in earnest means marriage.  Would you torment a poor woman, who’s lost one husband, into wondering three-quarters of the time whether the scalp of another isn’t in the hands of some villainous Apache?”

The unhappy lieutenant hid his face in heavy clouds of tobacco smoke.

“Well,” said he, springing to his feet, and pacing the floor like a caged animal, “I’ll tell you what I’ll do; I’ll write her, and throw my heart at her feet.  Of course she won’t care.  It’s just as you say.  Why should she?  But I’ll do it, and then I’ll go back to the regiment.  I hate to spoil your fun, major, if it’s any fun to you to have such a fool in your quarters; but the fact is, the enemy’s too much for me.  I wouldn’t feel worse if I was facing a division.  I’ll write her to morrow.  I’d rather be refused by her than loved by any other woman.”

“Put it off a fortnight, Fred,” suggested the major; “it’s the polite thing to call within a week after this party; you’ll have a chance then to become better acquainted with her.  She’s delightful company, I’m told.  Perhaps you’ll make up your mind it’s better to enjoy her society, during our leave, than to throw away everything in a forlorn hope.  Wait a fortnight, that’s a sensible youth.”