clause in the will.

She rose early next morning, and flinging the window open to let in the
glorious freshness heard a commotion below, while as she wondered as to
the cause of it several pairs of old boots went gyrating over the
balustrade of the verandah. A dilapidated saddle followed them, and
then a cloud of dust rolled up, while she saw the new owner of Carnaby
appear somewhat scantily attired out of the midst of it. He had a
brush in one hand and seemed disturbed about something.

"Where the brimstone does Mrs. Margery keep the scrubbing soap?" he
said.

Nobody answered him, and he moved back into the dust, while Seaforth
was coming up the stairway carrying a mop and pail when a big empty
oilcan smote him upon the chest. He dropped the pail and leaned a
moment, gasping and dripping, against the balustrade.

"You might notice where you're throwing things," he said.

The dust rolled more thickly, and Alton's voice came out of it. "I
hadn't time to be particular, and a sensible man would have got out of
the way of it. Don't stand there, anyway, but help me fix this place
fit for a lady before Miss Deringham gets up. Then you're going
through to the railroad with the new pack-horse to wire for Mrs.
Margery after breakfast."

"I don't think I am," said Seaforth. "Not on Julius Caesar, anyway.
He will need a little more taming before I'm fit to ride him."

"Then," said Alton, laughing, "I guess you can shove him, because
you'll want a horse to bring up the things you're going to wire
Vancouver for, and Tom's off with the teams up the valley. Fetch some
more water, and start in with the scrubbing. I don't want Miss
Deringham to guess we've been doing anything unusual."

"If she doesn't hear you," said Seaforth, "she must be very deaf."

"Now," said Alton regretfully, "I never thought of that. Sit right
down, Charley, and take your boots off."

"I am going to the well first," said Seaforth, who retired grinning,
and Miss Deringham laughed softly as she heard the cautious movements
of a big barefooted man floundering about clumsily with a brush or mop.

When she came down to breakfast, however, she was a little astonished.
The room was swept, and garnished with cedar sprays, while though it
smelled of some crude soap the aromatic sweetness of balsam was present
too, and there were signs of taste in its decoration and the
disposition of the splendid fruit upon the table. Alton had not
plucked it al