mark found the object of his search on the hotel piazza, looking as beautiful and attractive as his mind could imagine. as it proved, she was fully as anxious to see him as he was to see her; she was curious to hear about "texas."

"so he has promised never to do it again!" she said, when mark had told her of powers' "reformation." "i thought he would do anything for you. poor texas fairly worships the ground you walk on."

"he has promised never to drink, anyhow," responded mark. "it was very funny to see how long it took him to get the idea into his head that it was wrong. it's just as i told you, and as i told the superintendent, too; down where he comes from it's the custom when a man wants to have fun he drinks all the whiskey he can to start him. and texas thought he'd try it up here."

"he certainly did have fun," exclaimed the girl, breaking into one of her merry laughs at the recollection of the scene.

"i had been having a pretty exciting time myself," he said, "trying to keep texas quiet. and when those huge[pg 129] horses took fright and started to dash into the crowd, i had still more of it."

"i think you were perfectly splendid!" cried the girl, clasping her hands in alarm even as she thought of the occurrence. "when you came dashing down on your horse and sprang in to head them off, my heart fairly stopped beating. but i knew you would do it; i have always said you would never stop at any danger, and father agrees with me, too."

there was a moment's silence after that; and then mark, who was anxious to get at the important business of the morning, thought it a good time to begin.

"i've something more interesting to discuss, anyway," he added. "and i've only a very few minutes before drill in which to talk it over with you. i've taken the trouble to get a permit from headquarters and all to run over and ask you, so you mustn't delay me by compliments. that's my province, anyway—and duty."

"that was a very neat one," laughed grace fuller. "i declare, you are quite a cavalier. but excuse me for wasting the valuable time of the house. what is the matter?"

"i've a scheme," responded mark.

the girl lost all her bantering manner in a moment; she saw the twinkle in mark's eyes, and knew that some fun was coming.

[pg 130]"is this another plan for worrying the unfortunate yearlings?" she inquired.

"it is," said he. "i've no time to think up any other kind of plans just at present. you see they get up so many against me that i am busy all the time holding up my end. if it were not for your aid i am afraid i should have failed before this."

"have they prepared a new one already?"

by way of answer mark took out the "invitation."

"read that," he said, "and see."

grace took it and glanced at it, a look of surprise spreading over her face.

"why, i have one just like it!" she cried. "but where on earth did you get this?"

"it was sent to our friend chauncey," answered the plebe. "you see the yearlings thought he would take the bait and come; being rather weak on the point of his aristocracy, he was supposed to fall right into the trap and consider it a recognition of his social rank. then when he came he'd have no one to dance with, and would be a laughingstock generally."

"i see," said the girl. "it was a nice tribute to our common sense."

"ours!" laughed mark. "the yearlings have small idea that you are sympathizing with the plebes."

"well, i am," vowed the other. "with you, anyway,[pg 131] and i do not care in the least how soon they know it. i told father, and he said i was quite right. i don't like hazing."

"you may have a chance to let them know it publicly very soon," responded mark, gazing at her sweet face gratefully. "that's what i came over to see you about. you see we want to accept the invitation."

"accept it! why, that would be walking right into the trap!"

"that's just exactly what i mean to do. only i mean to put a hole in the other side first, so that i can walk out again and run off with traps and trappers and trappings and all."

"how do you mean?"

"you are not as acute as usual," laughed mark. "i had expected that by this time you would have guessed the secret."

"you don't mean to go and dance?"

"exactly," said mark.

grace fuller glanced at him in horror for a moment, and then as she saw his merry eyes twinkle a vague idea of what he meant began to occur to her. she began to see the possibilities of the affair, just as mark had seen them. he might get all the girls to dance with him; he might have the yearlings perfectly furious, raving; he[pg 132] might dump west point traditions all at once, all in a heap, and with a dull, sickening thud at that.

as she began to realize all this, mark was gazing into her eyes; he saw them begin to dance and twinkle just as his had. and he laughed softly to himself.

"our angel has not failed us," he whispered. "i knew she would not. will you help us?"

and grace answered simply that she would. but she set her teeth together with a snap that meant much.

it meant that mark mallory was to be the first plebe ever to dance at a west point hop.