Asallparties，Mabelexcepted，seemedsatisfiedwiththecoursethediscussionhadtaken，nooneappearedtothinkitnecessarytopursuethesubject。SupperwasnosoonerendedthantheSergeantdismissedhisguests，andthenheldalongandconfidentialdialoguewithhisdaughter。
Hewaslittleaddictedtogivingwaytothegentleremo-
tions，butthenoveltyofhispresentsituationawakenedfeelingsthathewasunusedtoexperience。Thesoldierorthesailor，solongasheactsundertheimmediatesuper-
visionofasuperior，thinkslittleoftherisksheruns，butthemomenthefeelstheresponsibilityofcommand，allthehazardsofhisundertakingbegintoassociatethemselvesinhismind：withthechancesofsuccessorfailure。Whilehedwellslessonhisownpersonaldanger，perhaps，thanwhenthatistheprincipalconsideration，hehasmorelivelygeneralperceptionsofalltherisks，andsubmitsmoretotheinfluenceofthefeelingswhichdoubtcreates。SuchwasnowthecasewithSergeantDunham，who，insteadoflookingforwardtovictoryascertain，accordingtohisusualhabits，begantofeelthepossibilitythathemightbepartingwithhischildforever。
NeverbeforehadMabelstruckhimassobeautifulassheappearedthatnight。Possiblysheneverhaddisplayedsomanyengagingqualitiestoherfather。forconcernonhisaccounthadbeguntobeactiveinherbreast。andthenhersympathiesmetwithunusualencouragementthroughthosewhichhadbeenstirredupinthesternerbosomoftheveteran。Shehadneverbeenentirelyathereasewithherparent，thegreatsuperiorityofhereducationcreatingasortofchasm，whichhadbeenwidenedbythemilitaryseverityofmannerhehadacquiredbydealingsolongwithbeingswhocouldonlybekeptinsubjectionbyanunremitteddiscipline。Onthepresentoccasion，however，theconversationbetweenthefatheranddaughterbecamemoreconfidentialthanusual，untilMabelrejoicedtofiudthatitwasgraduallybecomingendearing，astateoffeel-