being punctiliously returned.

Bert Dodge was in a rage. He could not get so much as the courtesy
of a bow from these girls whom he had known for years. He was
being cut dead and he knew it, and the humiliation of the thing
was more than he could well bear. A half hour later, he saw the
party coming, and discreetly took himself out of sight.

"I can play my cards at the hop," he muttered.

The over to Cullum Hall, through the dark night, the little party
strolled, one of many similar parties.

Once inside Cullum Hall, Prescott and Anstey, looking mightily
like young copies of Mars in their splendid dress uniforms, conducted
the ladies to seats at the side of the ballroom. Dick and Anstey
next took the ladies' light wraps and went with them to the cloak
room, after which they passed on to the coat room and checked their
own caps.

Laura and Belle gazed about them with well-bred curiosity---Mrs.
Bentley, too---at the other guests of the evening, who were arriving
rapidly. The scene was one of animated life. It would have been
hard to say whether the handsome gowns of the young ladies, or
the cadet dress uniforms, gave more life and spirit to the scene.

As Prescott and Anstey returned across the ballroom floor the
orchestra started a preliminary march. Both young cadets fell
unconsciously in step close to the door, and came marching, side
by side, soldierly---perfect!