was Jo that first made me want to be
straight, but it was Miss Lamont who gave me the chance. Isn't she grand,
Mr. Walters? She has such a kind heart."

"Will you tell me something about her, Marta? Is--"

He stopped abruptly. It wouldn't be just the right thing to cross-examine
this little girl about her "particular pal."

"I'll see you again, soon," he said, and went on to the garage.

The sound of Jo's jolly laugh with the little added tender note made him
turn and look after them. They had stopped on their way and were looking
into each other's eyes, oblivious to all else but the happiness to be
found in the kingdom of love and youth.

Silhouetted on the crest of the hill they stood--Jo, lean, long and
picturesque in his rough clothes; Marta, neat and natty from her little
pumps to her shining yellow hair smoothed back over her forehead.

With the feeling that he also was initiated into the Great Brotherhood and
had recognized the tokens of membership, he went about his tasks, seeing a
vision of a girl with a sweetness in her eyes that often belied the
bantering of her tone.

When he came up to dinner, Pen's place was vacant.

"Bobbie won't eat with us," explained Francis. "Nora didn't, you know.
Aunt Pen thought she might be lonesome eating her first meal all alone, so
they are having their dinner together."

Marta's words, "she has such a kind heart," came back to him.

"She is right," he said. "Marta knows."

And suddenly there was born in him a deep compassion for all women of her
kind. In vain he waited for Pen in the library that night. But, feeling
she was in deep waters, Pen had resolved to stay in her room.

CHAPTER XI

Outside her door Pen found Betty waiting expectantly.

"Bobbie gave us a nickel apiece not to disturb you," she began glibly.
"She said you had a headache last night. And father's come home and
brought a man with him. And mother's coming soon."

Pen found herself only languidly interested in these announcements. She
listened distraitly to the prattle of the children who surrounded her
while she was served with toast and coffee.

"Father and the man are motoring around the ranch," said Francis, "but
they will be back to lunch."

This roused her to the extent of making a more elaborate toilet than
usual. She came into the library shortly before the luncheon hour, clad in
one of the gowns she had taken from the trunk Marta had brought, her hair
done with exquisite ca