what you surely would
say if you were here. Neither of us thought the colonel would object, so
long as you approved, and he wrote such a nice note. Why, Ned, he only
just had time to change his dress and drive up with Jeffers----"

"With Jeffers? With my--er--our team and wagon? Well, I like----"

"Of course you like it, you old darling. She's such a dear girl, though
just a little bit gushing, you know. Why, I said, certainly the team
should go. But, Ned, here's what I'm afraid of. Mrs. Braxton saw it
drive in at nine-thirty, just after Billy ran away, and she asked
Jeffers who was going, and he told her Mr. Waring, and she has told the
colonel, I'll wager. Now, what you have got to do is to explain that to
him, so that he won't blame Mr. Waring."

"The dickens I have! The most barefaced piece of impudence even Sam
Waring was ever guilty of--to me, at least, though I've no doubt he's
done worse a dozen times. Why, bless your heart, Nell, how can I
explain? You might, but----"

"But would you have me suppose my big soldier couldn't handle that
matter as well as I? No, sir! Go and do it, sir. And, mind you, I'm
going to invite them all up here to the gallery to hear the band play
and have a cup of tea and a nibble when they come down this evening.
He's going to drive the Allertons here."

"Worse and more of it! Why, you conspiracy in petticoats, you'll be the
ruin of me! Old Brax is boiling over now. If he dreams that Waring has
been taking liberties with him he'll fetch him up so short----"

"Exactly! You mustn't let him. You must tell him I sent him up with your
team--yours, mind you--to keep his engagement, since it was impossible
for him to come back to review ground. Of course he wouldn't expect him
to appear afoot."

"Don't know about that, Nell. I reckon that's the way he'll order out
the whole gang of us next time. He's had his fill of mounted work
to-day."

"Well, if he should, you be sure to acquiesce gracefully now. Whatsoever
you do, don't let him put Mr. Waring in arrest while Gwen Allerton is
here. It would spoil--everything."

"Oh, match-making, is it? Then I'll try." And so, vexed, but laughing,
half indignant, yet wholly subordinate to the whim of his beloved better
half, the captain hastened over, and found Colonel Braxton sitting with
gloomy brow at his littered desk, his annoyance of the morning evidently
forgotten in matters more serious.

"Oh--er--Cram, come in, come in, man," said he, d