n to-night, but
Mrs. Acton won't hear of it."

Gordon bowed in the direction of his host.

"I'd have put up a more vigorous protest against troubling Mrs. Acton
than I did, if I had felt it would have been of any use," he said.

"Well," replied Acton, smiling, "I guess they'll be getting supper
ready, and we were sent here to bring our friend and Miss Hamilton
in."

They went back to the house together, where they found the long table
spread. It was characteristic of the owner of Bonavista that he still
called the evening meal supper. There were, besides Nasmyth and
Wisbech, five or six other guests from Victoria and one of the rising
cities on Puget Sound, and Gordon speedily made himself very much at
home. Most of his new acquaintances found what he had to say
entertaining, but Miss Hamilton was, as Nasmyth noticed, somewhat
silent. Nasmyth, on his part, felt slightly restless, for his old
comrade's presence had an unsettling effect on him. It was, however,
not until an hour or two later that he and Gordon were able to discuss
their own affairs. They sat on the veranda looking down upon the sea,
while the dusk slowly crept up from the east.

"Now," said Gordon, "I should like to hear what you have done."

"I'm afraid it's not a great deal," replied Nasmyth. "The Crown land
authorities appear disposed to sell the land instead of leasing it,
which of late has been the more usual course; but they insist on
counting a certain proportion of the hillside and big timber in. I may
get one or two concessions, and I'm still keeping the affair before
them. In the meanwhile I've been seeing what can be done to raise
enough capital to take up all the land, but haven't met with any great
success. The folks I've been in communication with, as usual, want all
the profit; in fact, I almost fancy it might be as well to raise what
money we can around the settlement, and content ourselves with
locating a portion of the valley."

Gordon nodded. "You can't do much about the fall until after the
autumn freshets, anyway, and there's a good deal you can't get at
until the frost sets in," he declared. "In the meanwhile the offers
Wheeler and I made you hold."

They discussed the matter until Mrs. Acton appeared on the veranda and
shook her head at them.

"What are you two doing here when there are pretty girls in the house
waiting for a dance?" she inquired.

"I'm afraid we have been very remiss," apologized Nasmyth, when they
jo