Gradually, however, she found herself
less certain of winning whom she would. The competition of young girls
some two or three years her junior became threatening. She was obliged
to give up cadet officers for privates, and then first-class privates
for third-class privates, as the hotel waiter had explained to Sam. At
the time of Sam's arrival at the Point she was having more difficulty
than ever before, and she became thoroughly frightened. She took up
with Saunders because he alone came her way, but the engagement was a
poor makeshift, and she could not get up any enthusiasm over it. She
could hardly pretend to be in love with him, and she felt conscious
that she had a foolish prejudice in favor of straight noses. What was
she to do? If she was to marry at all in the army--and how could she
marry anywhere else?--she must soon make up her mind. Her experience
now stood her in good stead. Had she not seen these very first-class
cadet officers only three years before as mere despised "beasts," doing
all kinds of drudgery for their oppressors? Had she not seen her
_fiance_, Saunders, himself, a short twelvemonth ago, with nose intact,
slinking like a pariah about the post? She had learned the lesson which
the younger girls had yet to learn, that from these unpromising
chrysalises the most gorgeous butterflies emerge, and like a wise woman
she began to study the fourth class.
Pages:
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54