e holiday season, her mother consented,
hesitatingly. But she took occasion, that very evening, to casually
bring Douglass under discussion, concluding a very generous estimation
of him with the significant words: "One can trust to an appeal to his
honor when every other means fail!" That she directed the remark
particularly to Grace, was doubtless without premeditation, and
assuredly called for no reply. Yet there was a certain resentment in the
girl's rather constrained answer:

"Do you think it probable that such an exigency will ever arise?"

The world-wise old woman looked thoughtfully at the flushed face,
thinking how singularly beautiful it was. Then she scanned the perfectly
proportioned figure beneath, its exquisite modeling revealed and
accentuated by the clinging silk fabric of the thin evening gown.

"Anything is probable to a man of his temperament," she said calmly.
"Strong natures like his are contemptuous of limitations and laugh at
ethical restrictions. That man, if I mistake not, will go straight to
his desire as a bullet to the mark, regardless of what stands between."

Robert laughed fatuously, missing entirely the drift of the
undercurrent. "You have certainly got him sized up right, Mater. Ken is
'sure chain lightin',' as Williams says."

"And if it be evil to stand in the path of a thunderbolt, how
inconceivably foolish to invite its stroke!"

The young man stared dubiously at her; all this seemed inconsequential
to him, this talk of thunderbolts and bullets. Did these foolish women
think that Ken Douglass was ass enough to expose himself recklessly to
either. In some respects the master of the C Bar was as unimaginative
and simple-minded as a new-born baby.

"Don't yuh worrit none about thundeh-strikes," interjected Abbie with
crisp assurance, entering the room in pursuit of the too-intrusive
Buffo, who every evening persisted in joining the family circle. "They
ain't goin' to be no thundeh-stawms so late in thu yeah; yuh suahly
know thet, Mis' Cahtah, yuh was bawn heah!"

The lady addressed smiled indulgently at her old friend. "I am hoping
that there will be no storms of any sort which will cause suffering and
misery to anybody, Abbie. Life is too short to be spoiled with
heartaches."

"Do you know whose property this is?" she asked Grace that night, coming
into her bedroom as she was preparing to retire. "One of the men found
it this morning just outside the main gate and brought it