rdinary!" she murmured in an aside to Lionel. "He looks
like an absolute heathen. Are such things usual here?"

"Very usual, I should say. Lots of them about. That fellow has a Joss in
his cabin, and very likely a prayer-wheel; but he's a capital cook. I
wish we could have the luck to happen on his brother or nephew for
ourselves."

"I don't, then," replied his scandalized sister. "I can't feel that it
is right to employ such people in a Christian country. The Americans
have such lax notions!"

"Hold up a bit! What do you know about their notions? Nothing at all."

"Come to dinner," said Clover's pleasant voice. "Geoff, Miss Young will
sit next to you. Put a cushion behind her back, Clarence."

Dinner over, Imogen concluded that she had upheld the honor of England
quite as long as was desirable, or in fact possible, and gladly accepted
permission to go at once to bed. She was fairly tired out.

She woke wonderfully restored by nine hours' solid sleep in that elastic
and life-giving atmosphere, and went downstairs to find every one
scattered to their different tasks and avocations, except Elsie, who was
waiting to pour her coffee. Clover and Lionel were gone to the new
house, she explained, and they were to follow them as soon as Imogen had
breakfasted.

Elsie's manner lacked its usual warmth and ease. She had taken no fancy
at all to the stiff, awkward little English woman, in whom her quick
wits detected the lurking tendency to cavil and criticise, and was
discouraging accordingly. Oddly enough, Imogen liked this offish manner
of Elsie's. She set it down to a proper sense of decorum and _retenue_.
"So different from the usual American gush and making believe to be at
ease always with everybody," she thought; and she made herself as
agreeable as possible to Elsie, whom she considered much prettier than
Clover, and in every way more desirable. These impressions were
doubtless tinctured by the underlying jealousy from which she had so
long suffered, and which still influenced her, though Isabel Templestowe
was now far away, and there was no one at hand to be jealous about.

The two rode amicably up the valley together.

"There, that's your new home," said Elsie, when they came in sight of
the just finished cabin. "Didn't Lionel choose a pretty site for it? And
you have a most beautiful view."

"Well, Moggy," cried her brother, hurrying out to help her dismount,
"here you are at last. Mrs. Templestowe and I have