's where the blarney comes in. It's to tell
her of the worth of her husband, and what a loss it would be to the
world if he were to die on the trail, and what he would suffer if he
thought she were unhappy, and then in the ardor of my speech comes the
straight lie. I told her that he was writing the story of his life and
that it was to be a great work which would bring about a tremendous
revolution of justice and would bring confusion to his enemies, until
at last she holds up her head proudly and speaks of his wonderful
intellect and goodness. Then she says: 'He cannot come to me, very
good. He is not strong enough--no. I go to him to-morrow.' Think of
that, man! What I had to meet, and it was all to go over again. I
would call it very circumspect lying and in a good cause, too, to
comfort the poor soul. I told her of the snow, and how surely she
would die by the way and make her husband very sad, he who was now
happy in the writing of his book, and that to do so would break his
heart and cause his own death,--while to wait until spring in peace
would be wiser, because she might then descend the mountain in perfect
safety. So now she sits sewing and making things no man understands
the use of. She showed me the blouse she has made for you. Now, that
is the best medicine for her sick brain. They're great women, these
two. If we must have women about, we're in luck to have women of their
quality."

"We are, indeed."

"I saw the women who follow the road as it creeps across the plains.
They're pitiful to see. If these had been like them, we'd have been
obliged to take them in just the same, but Lord be merciful to them,
I'm glad they're not on my mountain." Larry shook his ponderous,
grizzled head and turned again to his packages. "Since they love to
sew, they may be making things for themselves next. Look you! Here is
silk for gowns, for women love adornment, the best of them."

Harry paused, his arms full of wood with which he was replenishing the
fire, and stared in amazement, as Larry unrolled a mass of changeable
satin wherein a deep cerise and green coloring shifted and shimmered
in the firelight. He held the rich material up to his own waist and
looked gravely down on the long folds that dropped to the floor and
coiled about his feet. "I told you we're to live like lords and ladies
now. Man! I'd like to see Amalia in a gown of this!"

Harry dropped his wood on the fire and threw back his head and
laughed. He e