never to be introduced to Gertrude Brock.

Marie was already engaging him where he stood with gentle questions,
and to catch them he had to bend above her. When the waiter went away,
Morris Blood was helping Gertrude Brock to complete her arrangements.
Others came up; the moment passed. But Glover was conscious all the
time of this graceful girl who was so frankly cordial to those near her
and so oblivious of him.

He heard her laughing voice in her conversation with his friends and
noted in the utterance of her sister and her aunt the same unusual
inflections that he had first heard from her in his office. To his
surprise these Eastern women were very easy to talk to. They asked
about the mountains, and as their train conductor had long ago hinted
when himself apologizing for mountain stories, well told but told at
second hand--Glover knew the mountains.

Discussing afterward the man that was to plan the summer trip for them,
Louise Donner wished it might have been the superintendent, because he
was a Boston Tech man.

"Oh, but I think Mr. Glover is going to be interesting," declared Mrs.
Whitney. "He drawls and I like that sort of men; there's always
something more to what they say, after you think they're done, don't
you know? He drank two cups of coffee, didn't he, Gertrude? Didn't
you like him?"

"The tall one? I didn't notice; he is amazingly homely, isn't he?"

"Don't abuse him, for he is delightful," interposed Marie.

"I accused him right soon of being a Southerner," Mrs. Whitney went on.
"He admitted he was a Missourian. When I confessed I liked his drawl
he told me I ought to hear his brother, a lawyer, who stutters. Mr.
Glover says he wins all his cases through sympathy. He stumbles along
until everyone is absolutely convinced that the poor fellow would have
a perfectly splendid case if he could only stammer through it; then, of
course, he gets the verdict."

The party had not completed the first day out of Medicine Bend under
Glover's care before they realized that Mrs. Whitney was right. Glover
could talk and he could listen. With the men it was mining or
railroading or shooting. If things lagged with the ladies he had
landmarks or scenery or early-day stories. With Mrs. Whitney he could
in extremity discuss St. Louis. Marie Brock he could please by placing
her in marvellous spots for sketching. As for Gertrude and Louise
Donner the men of their own party left them no dull moment