place.

"Come," she insisted, patting the broad arm of her chair with an
inviting gesture. "I want to give you your first lesson in Western life;
and I can't talk to you half so well, when you're just back of me. If I
can't watch you, I sha'n't know when you're getting vexed and wishing
I'd stop."

"All right; fire ahead." And Charlie moved around to her side, where he
clasped his hands and brought his spectacles to bear upon her with an
owlish solemnity.

"That's a very good boy," said his cousin approvingly. Then she
continued, in a tone of elderly counsel, "Now, my dear child, I am about
to say a few words to you which shall be for your own good."

"Oh, I say," remonstrated Charlie, his dignity breaking down all at
once; "how old are you, Allie,--sixty, or seventy-five?"

"You shouldn't laugh," returned Allie, shaking her head at him
reproachfully. "That's just the way Mrs. Pennypoker talks to Ned and
Grant; I've heard her, lots of times. But now, truly, I wish you'd be
good and listen to me, for I do want to tell you something that will be
a help to you. The people out here are different from those you've seen,
and the ways aren't like those farther east. I don't know why 'tis, but
they hate to be reminded of it, and, when we came here, papa told us
never to say anything bad about the town, as if we didn't like it, for
we'd get everybody down on us. We did like it, though, so we didn't have
to fib. But now you're here you'd better just keep still about anything
that strikes you funny, when you're off with the boys. Then you can come
back and talk it over with me, when they aren't round, if you want to; I
don't mind; only don't let Howard hear you, for he'd tell the Everetts.
See? That's all; but I thought I'd warn you."

"You're a trump, Allie; and I'll try not to disgrace you," said Charlie
gratefully. "Of course, it seems awfully queer to me; but I won't give
it away, if I can help it. What's the matter now?" he demanded, as Allie
leaned back in her chair and burst into a peal of laughter.

"I was just thinking how funny 'twas," she answered; "only this morning
I was telling the boys that their slang would shock you, and they must
drop it; but here you are, every bit as bad as they. I don't believe
there's so much difference between Montana and New York, after all."

"'Tisn't the place, it's boys," responded Charlie sagely. "They're
pretty much the same, wherever you take them. I think the difference is
i