abruptly, "I suppose it would be nice to
be in a crowd of women, laughing and dancing and singing. I suppose
you do miss it."

"That was not what I meant," said Prince slowly. "I don't care for a
crowd of them. Not many. One is enough." He was appalled at his own
audacity, and despised himself for his cowardice, for why didn't he
look this white fine girl of the city in the eyes and say:

"Yes, one,--and you are it."

CHAPTER XXI

ADVENTURING

If Connie truly was in pursuit of literary material, she was
indefatigable in the quest. But sometimes Carol doubted if it was
altogether literary material she was after. And David was very much
concerned,--what would dignified Father Starr, District Superintendent,
say to his youngest daughter, Connie the literary, Connie the proud,
Connie the high, the fine, the perfect, delving so assiduously into the
mysteries of range life as typified in big, brown, rugged Prince Ingram?
To be sure, Prince had risen beyond the cowboy stage and was now a "stock
man," a power on the ranges, a man of money, of influence. But David
felt responsible.

Yet no one could be responsible for Connie. Father Starr himself could
not. If she looked at one serenely and said, "I need to do this," the
rankest foolishness assumed the proportions of dire necessity. So what
could David, sick and weak, do in the face of the manifestly impossible?

Carol scolded her. And Connie laughed. David offered brotherly
suggestions. And Connie laughed again. Julia said Prince was a darling
big grandpa, and Connie kissed her.

The Frontier Days passed on to their uproarious conclusion. Connie saw
everything, heard everything and took copious notes. She was going to
start her book. She had made the acquaintance of some of the cowgirls,
and she studied them with a passionate eagerness that English literature
in the abstract had never aroused in her gentle breast.

Then she became argumentative. She contended that the beautiful lawn at
the Bijou was productive of strength for David, rest for Carol, amusement
for Julia, and literary material for her. Therefore, why not linger
after the noisy crowd had gone,--just idling on the long porches,
strolling under the great trees? And because Connie had a convincing way
about her, it was unanimously agreed that the Bijou lawn could do
everything she claimed for it, and by all means they ought to tarry a
week.

It was all settled before David and