ad grown thin, his bronzed face
was worn, and he looked graver than he had done. Though she could not
imagine his ever becoming very solemn, it was obvious that something
had happened in Canada which had had its effect on him. Looking up
suddenly from his plate, he surprised her attentive glance.

"You have changed," she said.

"That's not astonishing," Blake replied. "We didn't get much to eat in
the wilds, and I was thinking how pleasant it is to be back again." He
examined his prettily decorated cup. "It's remarkable how many things
one can do without. In the bush, we drank our tea, when we had any,
out of a blackened can and the rest of our table equipment was to
match. But we'll take it that the change in me is an improvement?"

It was an excuse for looking at her, as if demanding a reply, but she
answered readily: "In a sense, it is."

"Then I feel encouraged to continue starving myself."

"There's a limit; extremes are to be avoided," Millicent rejoined.
"But did you starve yourselves in Canada?"

"I must confess that the thing wasn't altogether voluntary. I'm afraid
we were rather gluttonous when we got the chance."

"Did you find what you were looking for?"

"No," said Blake, who saw that she was interested. "I think it was a
serious disappointment for Harding, and I was very sorry for him at
first."

"So am I," said Millicent. "It must have been very hard, after leaving
his wife alone and badly provided for and risking everything on his
success. But why did you say you _were_ sorry for him? Aren't you
sorry now?"

"Though we didn't find what we were looking for, we found something
else which Harding seems firmly convinced is quite as valuable. Of
course, he's a bit of an optimist, but it looks as if he were right
this time. Anyway, I'm plunging on his scheme."

"You mean you will stake all you have on it?"

"That's it," Blake agreed with a humorous twinkle. "It's true that
what I have doesn't amount to much, but I'm throwing in what I would
like to get, and that's a great deal."

There was something of a hint in his manner and she noticed his
expression suddenly grow serious. It seemed advisable to choose
another topic and she said: "You must have had adventures. Tell me
about them."

"Oh!" he protested, "they're really not interesting."

"Let me judge. Is it nothing to have gone where other men seldom
venture?"

He began rather awkwardly, but she prompted him with tactfu