ng--but they don't take any chances of
giving offence by speaking out loud."

"Poor little girl!" Drew's eyes were misty. He shivered slightly and
pulled his fur coat closer about his chin. "How does she look, Filmer?"

"As handsome as--well, a queen would give her back teeth to look like
Joyce. I never seen the like. Head up, back as straight as a pine
sapling, eyes shining and hair like--like mist with sunlight in it.
Gaston has taught her to speak like he does. You know he always kept his
language up-to-date and stylish? Well, she's caught the trick now. You'd
think she'd travelled the way she hugs her g's and d's. She trips over
the grammar rules occasionally--but I always said they had to be born in
your blood to make you sure, and even then--you have to exercise them
daily."

"Poor little Joyce! I always felt she was only half awake, as she stood
that day before me. If I had it to do now--I would wake her up, before I
made the tie fast."

"Lord help us!" Jock felt the relief of an unburdened mind; "is it in
your religion to tie anything fast?"

"Yes; yes." Drew was looking over the sunlighted hills and thinking of
that lovely, dreaming face of a year ago.

"And now," Filmer was drawling on, "while you and me are on this sort of
house-cleaning spell, let me drop another item of interest into your
think-tank. We-all up here ain't going to stand for any preaching
business. I say this outspoken and friendly, meaning no ill feeling;
just plain, what's what. You see them ideas of yours what you handed out
last year set folks thinking. They sounded so blasted innercent and easy
that we all chewed on 'em for a time, and some of us got stung. Now them
as is native here can't think without suffering; and them as came here,
came to get rid of thinking, and so you see none of us want to be riled
along that _line_. See?"

"I see." Drew smiled, and stretched his thin white hand out to Filmer.
"Thanks. But if they'll let me live--that's all I want. It's my only way
of preaching, anyhow--and Filmer, I _am_ going to live. I feel the
blood running to my heart and brain. I feel it bringing back hope and
interest--a man can make a place for himself anywhere if there are men
and women about. _I_ thought first--back there--when I dropped
everything, that there never could be anything else worth while, but I
tell you old man, if you take even a remnant of life and love to Death's
portal you're always mighty glad to get the chanc