isobliging that time, and was sorry for it afterwards--sorry when I
heard about the letter that really went! Do you find the sheep-wagon so
very dreadful?"

"I thought," laughed Mary, "that it was going to be like a picture I saw
in a magazine, Mexican hammocks, grass cushions, and a lady pouring tea
from a samovar; instead it was the sheep-wagon and 'Do you sleep light or
dark?' There is Mrs. Yellett calling us to dinner. Shall I have a chance
to talk to you alone afterwards?"

"I've come all the way from Dax's to see you," explained Judith, with
characteristic directness. "We have all the afternoon."

"Really!" Mary displayed a flash of school-girl enthusiasm. "I feel as if
I could almost bear the scenery."

Presumably Judith was a favorite guest of the Yellett household, and not
without reason. She took her place in the circle about the homely,
steaming fare, with an ease and grace that suggested that dining off the
ground was an every-day affair with her, and chairs and tables
undreamed-of luxuries. Mary envied her ready tact. Why could she not meet
these people with Judith's poise--bring out the best of them, as she did?
The boys talked readily and naturally--there was even a flavor to what they
said. As for herself, try never so conscientiously and she would be
confronted by frank amusement or shy distrust. Even "paw" beamed at Judith
appreciatively as he consumed his meal with infinite, toothless labor. The
Spartan family became almost sprightly under the pleasantly stimulating
influence of its guest.

"What kind of basques are they wearing this summer, Judy?" inquired Mrs.
Yellett, regarding her guest's trim shirt-waist judicially. "I reckon them
loose, meal-sack things must be all the go since you and Miss Mary both
have 'em; but give me a good, tight-fittin' basque, every time. How's any
one to know whether you got a figure or not, in a thing that never hits
you anywhere?" questioned the matriarch, not without a touch of pride
anent her own fine proportions.

"You really ought to have a shirt-waist, Mrs. Yellett. You've no idea of
the comfort of them, till you've worn them."

"I don't see but I'll have to come to it." Her tone was frankly regretful,
as one who feels obliged to follow the behests of fashion, yet, in so
doing, sacrifices a cherished ideal. Mary Carmichael choked over her
coffee in an abortive attempt to restrain her audible hilarity. Judith,
without a trace of amusement, was discussing ma