life. Broussard fell into a delicious reverie that lasted until he
heard the clang of the changing sentries at two o'clock in the morning.

The Christmas gaieties went on for a fortnight, including another big
ball given by the officers. Colonel Fortescue brought upon himself
many maledictions from the junior officers by the way in which he
regulated these balls. The Colonel was neither bashful nor backward
with his young officers, and he liked them to dance, bearing in mind
the saying of a great commander that a part of every soldier's
equipment is gaiety of heart; but he was grimly particular about the
kind of dancing that took place at Fort Blizzard. Before every ball,
Colonel Fortescue's aide, Conway, a serious young lieutenant, delivered
the Colonel's orders that there was to be no tangoing or
turkey-trotting or chicken-reeling or "Here Comes My Daddy" business in
that ball-room. Moreover, Neroda, the bandmaster, had orders if any of
these dances, abhorred of the Colonel's heart, were started the music
was to stop immediately. Colonel Fortescue himself, by way of setting
an example, would do a sedate waltz with some matron of the post, or
select a rosebud girl for a solemn set of lancers quadrilles. Mrs.
Fortescue still held the palm as the prettiest waltzer at the post,
none the less gay for being dignified. However, the young people,
except Anita, revenged themselves on the C. O. by doing, in their own
drawing-rooms, all the prohibited dances. With Anita, nothing could
have induced her to do anything forbidden by the beloved of her
heart--a trait not without its dangers.

Broussard was treated as a hero by everybody at the post and enjoyed it
extremely, in spite of his deprecation of all praise and declaring that
Gamechick was the real hero.