return."

"Take two months if you like," said Carter, cordially. "And while I am
not at all easy in mind about that money business, I respect your wishes
in the matter and we will consider that over and done with. But I insist
on your being our guest at the old home next year. I have your
promise?"

Douglass hesitated. "A great deal can happen in a year," he said,
quietly; "but if I am alive and other conditions serve I shall be
delighted."

Bobbie's manner was not quite so genial and complaisant to his sister
when they were again alone: "See here, sis, what the devil--!"

"For shame, Bobbie!" she said, with laughing remonstrance, stopping
further utterance with her soft palm. "Swearing isn't at all becoming to
small boys. You are contracting very bad local habits." But she
vouchsafed him no explanation whatever, merely rumpling his hair over
his eyes and kissing him on the tip of his nose.

The day of their departure Douglass accompanied them as far as Tin Cup,
where they would take the stage for Alpine. He was all cordiality to
Carter and deference to Grace, showing at his best all throughout the
pleasant ride. As she laid her hand in his at parting her eyes were full
of wistful entreaty:

"Be good to Buffo and my roan, and very, very good to yourself! I am
coming back in the spring and so will say _auf wiedersehen_, not
good-by. You will write me occasionally? It will be manna to me until I
can get back to 'God's country' again!"

His face brightened approvingly; "I like that! It is 'God's country,'
surely, even though abandoned for a space by its brightest angel. Come
back to us soon!"

"That was very sweet of you, and I am going to take it at full face
value," she said, steadily. "That is the first compliment you have ever
paid me and I am commensurably proud. But do you know"--her lips were
very close to his ear--"it seems funny somehow! I had rather--oh, dear!
I really can't help it!--but couldn't you manage to swear at me a
little, Ken!" Her face was a vivid scarlet and she laughed a little
hysterically. Before he had recovered from his astonishment she was in
the arms of Abbie, who, attended by Red, had just driven up in the
buckboard with the luggage.

She persistently avoided his eyes as she shook hands with Red. "Mr.
McVey," she said, laughingly, "we have so over-burdened Mr. Douglass
with responsibility for innumerable things that he won't have time to
take care of himself; will you kindly look