pers, nothing to mar the simplicity that her all too vivid
beauty required. Percival's eyes appraised her at her full value. Even
Sister Cordelia would have been propitiated by the sight.

"What's this lovely thing?" cried Bobby, pouncing upon the coat.

"Something I bought to be rid of a troublesome lad. Don't know what I
shall do with it, exactly."

"Take it to your sister, of course,"

"She probably has heaps of them."

Bobby slipped her round, bare arms into the loose sleeves, and surveyed
herself in the long mirror.

"Isn't that the prettiest thing you ever saw?" she asked, glancing at
him over her shoulder.

[Illustration: "Isn't that the prettiest thing you ever saw?" she asked,
glancing at him over her shoulder]

"It is," said Percival, emphatically. His judgment about the
becomingness of the color had, us usual, been unerring.

"I should be no end grateful," he said, "if you'd take it off my hands.
My trunks are fearfully stuffed now."

"But I haven't any money," said Bobby, with characteristic frankness;
"besides, we don't need things like that in Cheyenne."

"Silly girl! Do you think I have turned merchant, and have got wares for
sale? The coat is for you."

Bobby gave a cry of delight, then she looked up dubiously.

"But is it all right for me to take a present like this? I never had
anything so big given me--yes, I did, too!" She laughed. "A fellow from
Medicine Bow sent me a barrel of mixed fruit once, with nuts and raisins
in between, and ten pounds of candy on top!"

"Then why scruple at my gift?"

Her brow clouded. "But you said girls oughtn't to take things from men
they weren't engaged to. You remember that day on deck you got me to
give back Andy's scarf-pin?"

Percival cleared his throat.

"Quite a different matter," he said; "now, between you and me--"

Bobby shook her head as she took off the coat.

"No, I guess not. I want it so bad I can taste it, but I think you'd
better keep it for somebody in the family."

Percival slipped the jade pendant into his waistcoat pocket, and tossed
the coat on a chair.

"As you like," he said. "Shall we go to the ball-room?"

In his secret soul he was inordinately gratified. Of course she should
not have accepted the coat, and he should not have tempted her. She had
done exactly right in firmly adhering to his former instructions.
Altogether she was a remarkable little person indeed.

The moment they appeared in the ballroom she was co