lent under his
scrutiny. He was not deceived. Nevertheless he humored her for the
moment, knowing that she was no match for his astuteness when the time
came to probe her hurt.

"Fort Benton, eh? You know the weak spot of the old doctor, you
'rastical'," whimsically. Then, more seriously: "I, too, wish we were
there. Like you, I am sick of Helena. We were all happier, better off,
in the little old trading-post--before--the railroads came." He ascribed
all evils to the course of empire as exemplified in the steel rails of
commerce. "The Latimers, the Burroughs, the Halls, Bill Moore, you and
Charlie--every one of you moved away. Phil and I are the only ones left;
and since he is in the Legislature I spend almost as much time in Helena
as at Fort Benton."

"There's Mr. O'Dwyer."

"I forgot him. Yes, O'Dwyer stays near Danvers--he left the Police to go
to him, you know." As he looked around the room he asked, "Where's
Charlie to-night?"

"He's dining with Mr. Moore at the club."

"With Moore?" The doctor, surprised, repeated her words.

"Yes. I--didn't know--they weren't friends."

Something in her hesitation gave her visitor an opportunity to ask: "You
do not care very much for the Honorable William?"

"No, I do not!" came the quick response.

"Yet he is accounted quite a ladies' man; and," tentatively, "I can see
that he is quite infatuated."

"He can get un-infatuated," interrupted Winifred, with no pretense of
misunderstanding.

The doctor was pleased at this outburst. He had been an observer of
advances and repulses between these two. Now he was thinking of another
affair whose recent complications were giving him much concern.

"You wouldn't call him a gentleman?"

"Oh, no. He's a politician."

"That's rather hard on the rest of us who are dabbling in politics."

"You know what I mean!" Winifred made a pretty _moue_, her chin
upturned, showing clear against the leaping flame. As her companion
noted her sweetness he almost longed for his bygone youth.

"I sometimes think I have missed a good deal by not marrying," mused the
doctor, with seeming irrevelance. "But the role of husband was too
exacting a one for me!"

Miss Blair gave his hand a gentle pressure which conveyed her disbelief.

"We bachelors are rather a forlorn class, when the years begin to count
up; and as for the women who do not marry----" He left her to complete
the observation.

"They are not all forlorn," defended Winifred. "B