said. "Dick and I were staunch friends, but I didn't want to meet him.
He has recently been strange."

"He has been moody since he came from town, although he was not in very
good spirits the morning he left," Evelyn agreed in a thoughtful voice.
"I imagine something that might account for it happened the night Jim's
friends were lost on the sands."

Mordaunt felt disturbed, but Evelyn's remark stiffened his resolution.
She had noted Dick's moodiness, and since the lad was suspicious he
must act quickly. He might have trouble afterwards, but he would meet
it when it came.

"It's possible," he said, "Dick's temperament is nervous and perhaps he
had some grounds for feeling a strain. I expect you have noted that he
is attracted by Miss Winter?"

"I have noted it," Evelyn admitted with an unconscious frown. "It will
lead to nothing. Dick's romantic, but he is not a fool."

"He is headstrong and his own master. Miss Winter has beauty."

"For all that, it's ridiculous to imagine Dick would marry her."

"I don't know," said Mordaunt, coolly. "You are going to marry Jim."

Evelyn colored, because she knew what he meant. For the most part, the
objections that could be urged against Carrie applied to Jim.

"I don't know if I'm going to marry Jim or not," she said.

Mordaunt looked hard at her and his eyes sparkled. "Ah," he said, "I
imagined something like this would happen; in fact, I have waited for
it. It was plain that Jim would pall. He has his virtues, but he is
not the man for you."

"He has many virtues; he's big and strong and honest. It would be
easier if he had some of our shabby faults. Jim's code is as rude as
himself, but it's stern and he lives up to it. I don't know if I can."

"I know," said Mordaunt, smiling; "you could not! Jim is something of
a savage, but all the same, he belongs to the old school and his
rudeness is austere. We are modern and live on another plane. But how
did you come to see the truth I've seen all along?"

"Jim showed me," Evelyn replied with some feeling. "Unconsciously, of
course. He was here last evening and talked about his plans. They are
good plans. Had I been different, I might have helped, but they left
me out. I don't like to be left out. Am I the girl to satisfy a man
who lives to farm and dig marsh drains? You know me, Lance."

"The thing is ridiculous," Mordaunt declared, and was silent for a
moment or two. He did know Evelyn, and her fr