me. Oh, did you know
that a lot of men are going to play it's New Year's Eve and hold watch
meetings tonight?"

"Never heard a word about it," he declared truthfully, and waited for
more.

"That's not strange--seeing it's a surprise party. Still--I'm sure you
are expected to--attend."

"And where is all this to take place?" Andy looked at her intently,
smiling a little.

"Oh, over there--and there--and there." She pointed to three new
shacks--the official dwellings of certain contestants. "Stag parties,
they are, I believe. But I doubt if they'll have any very exciting time;
most of these new settlers are too busy getting the ground ready for
crops, to go to parties. Some people are pretty disgusted, I can tell
you, Mr. Green. Some people talk about ingratitude and wonder why the
colony doesn't hang together better. Some people even wonder why it is
that folks are interested mainly in their own affairs, and decline to
attend watch meetings and--receptions. So I'm afraid very few, except
your nearest neighbors, will be present, after all might I ask when you
expect to--to MOVE again, Mr. Green?"

Smiling still, Andy shook his head. "I expect to be pretty busy this
spring," he told her evasively. "Aren't any of you ladies invited to
those parties, Miss Allen?"

"Not a one. But let me tell you something, Mr. Green. Some folks think
that perhaps we lady-settlers ought to organize a club for the well
being of our intellects. Some folks are trying to get up parties
just for women--see the point? They think it would be better for
the--atmosphere."

"Oh." Andy studied the possibilities of such a move. If Florence Grace
should set the women after them, he could see how the Happy Family would
be hampered at every turn. "Well, I must be going. Say, did you know
this country is full of wild animals, Miss Allen? They prowl around
nights. And there's a gang of wild men that hang out up there in those
mountains--they prowl around nights, too. They're outlaws. They kill
off every sheriff's party that tries to round them up, and they kidnap
children and ladies. If you should hear any disturbance, any time, don't
be scared. Just stay inside after dark and keep your door locked. And if
you should organize that ladies' club, you better hold your meetings in
the afternoon, don't you think?"

When he had ridden on and left her, Andy was somewhat ashamed of such
puerile falsehoods. But then, she had started the allegorical method