he top rapidly.

"I'll guess that's petticoats going up there," I said mentally, "but
who's hunting wild flowers out here alone this time of night? Somebody
just as curious about me as I am about her, no doubt. Maybe some girl
has a lover's haunt down that ledge. I'll have to find out. Can't let my
stairway out to the general climbing public."

I was feeling for the letter in the crevice.

"Well, Marjie has tucked it in good and safe. I didn't know that hole
was so deep."

I found my letter and hurried home. It was just a happy, loving message
written when I was away, and a tinge of loneliness was in it. But Marjie
was a cheery, wholesome-spirited lass always, and took in the world from
the sunny side.

"There's a party down at Anderson's to-night, Phil," Aunt Candace
announced, when I was eating my late supper. "The boys sent word for
you to come over even if you did get home late. You are pretty tired,
aren't you?"

"Never, if there's a party on the carpet," I answered gayly.

I had nearly reached the Anderson home, and the noisy gayety of the
party was in my ears, when two persons met at the gate and went slowly
in together.

It was Amos Judson and Lettie Conlow.

"Well, of all the arrangements, now, that is the best," I exclaimed, as
I went in after them.

Tillhurst was talking to Marjie, who did not see me enter.

"Phil Baronet! 'The handsome young giant of the Neosho,'" O'mie shouted.
"Ladies and gentlemen: This is the very famous orator who got more
applause in Topeka this week than the very biggest man there. Oh, my
prophetic soul! but we were proud av him."

"Well, I guess we were," somebody else chimed in. "Why didn't you come
home with the crowd, handsome giant?"

"He was charmed by that pretty girl, an old sweetheart of his from
Massachusetts." Tillhurst was speaking. "You ought to have seen him with
her, couldn't even leave when the rest of us did."

There was a sudden silence. Marjie was across the room from me, but I
could see her face turn white. My own face flamed, but I controlled
myself. And Bud, the blessed old tow-head, came to my rescue.

"Good for you, Phil. Bet we've got one fellow to make a Bothton girl
open her eyeth even if Tillhurtht couldn't. He'th jutht jealouth. But we
all know Phil! Nobody'll ever doubt old Philip!"

It took the edge off the embarrassment, and O'mie, who had sidled over
into Marjie's neighborhood, said in a low voice:

"Tillhurst is a consummit liar,