Then of a sudden they saw the
bonny face light up with joy uncontrollable, for Mr. Field came bounding
in at the side door, opening from the veranda of the adjutant's office.
He saw her; smiled joyous greeting as he came swiftly toward her;
then stopped short as a girl in black grenadine dropped the arm of her
cavalier, the officer with whom she was promenading, and without a
moment's hesitation, placed her left hand, fan-bearing, close to the
shoulder knot on his stalwart right arm, her black-gloved right in his
white-kidded left, and instantly they went gliding away together, he
nodding half in whimsical apology, half in merriment, over the black
spangled shoulder, and the roseate light died slowly from the sweet,
smiling face--the smile itself seemed slowly freezing--as the still
dilated eyes followed the graceful movements of the couple, slowly,
harmoniously winding and reversing about the waxen floor. Even at the
Point she had never seen more beautiful dancing. Even when her stanchest
friend, Mrs. Blake, pounced upon her with fond, anxious, welcoming
words, and Mrs. Ray, seeing it all, broke from her partner's encircling
arm, and sped to add her greeting, the child could hardly regain
self-control, and one loving-hearted woman cried herself to sleep that
night for the woe that had come into the soft and tender eyes which had
first beamed with joy at sight of Beverly Field, then filled with sudden
dread immeasurable.
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