a higher tone, as through
clouds of tobacco smoke he caught sight of his wife passing the
doorway.

She entered. "Oh, no, I would not cry; I never do cry, but I would
be heart-sore to lose you Joe, and apart from that"--a little
wickedly--"you may come in handy for an exchange some day, as
Charlie does always say when he hoards up duplicate relics."

"Are Charlie and I duplicates?"

"Well--not exactly"--her head a little to one side, and eyeing
them both merrily, while she slipped softly on to the arm of
her husband's chair--"but, in the event of Charlie's failing
me"--everyone laughed then. The "some day" that she spoke of was
nearer than they thought. It came about in this wise.

There was a dance at the Lieutenant-Governor's, and the world and
his wife were there. The nobs were in great feather that night,
particularly the women, who flaunted about in new gowns and much
splendor. Christie McDonald had a new gown also, but wore it with
the utmost unconcern, and if she heard any of the flattering remarks
made about her she at least appeared to disregard them.

"I never dreamed you could wear blue so splendidly," said Captain
Logan, as they sat out a dance together.

"Indeed she can, though," interposed Mrs. Stuart, halting in one of
her gracious sweeps down the room with her husband's private
secretary.

"Don't shout so, captain. I can hear every sentence you uttah--of
course Mrs. McDonald can wear blue--she has a morning gown of cadet
blue that she is a picture in."

"You are both very kind," said Christie. "I like blue; it is the
color of all the Hudson's Bay posts, and the factor's residence is
always decorated in blue."

"Is it really? How interesting--do tell us some more of your old
home, Mrs. McDonald; you so seldom speak of your life at the post,
and we fellows so often wish to hear of it all," said Logan eagerly.

"Why do you not ask me of it, then?"

"Well--er, I'm sure I don't know; I'm fully interested in the
Ind--in your people--your mother's people, I mean, but it always
seems so personal, I suppose; and--a--a--"

"Perhaps you are, like all other white people, afraid to mention my
nationality to me."

The captain winced and Mrs. Stuart laughed uneasily. Joe McDonald
was not far off, and he was listening, and chuckling, and saying to
himself, "That's you, Christie, lay 'em out; it won't hurt 'em to
know how they appear once in a while."

"Well, Captain Logan," she was saying, "what is