old negro who was assisting an equally robust damsel of
like ebon complexion, but considerably less years, to alight from the
dusty vehicle.

Constance laughed at his frank bewilderment.

"Two family retainers from my girlhood's home, Uncle 'Rastus, my butler,
and Lucindy, his daughter, my cook. At the last moment Mr. Brevoort was
called away to Europe on business," she explained somewhat hurriedly.
"He hopes to be able to join us in time for the fall hunting."

It was characteristic of the man that he did not mumble the conventional
regrets over the defection of her husband; on the contrary, he did not
hesitate to express his pleasure.

"That's nice!" was his rather startling comment to which, however, she
took no exception, mischievously misinterpreting the reference of his
words.

"Yes, I know you enjoy those hunting trips," she said demurely, "and Mr.
Brevoort is even more enthusiastic. He says you are positively the most
indefatigable man in the chase that he ever met. Have you chased much
since we left?"

He glanced at her dubiously; she was the embodiment of naive innocence
as she stood there struggling with her pearl-colored suedes, the
delicious color coming and going in her fresh, fair cheeks. He was not
at all sure of her, and he hesitated a little as he caught up her valise
and relieved her of her discarded wraps.

"I wonder if there was any double meaning in that?" he thought, watching
her out of the corner of his eye; but it was this man's creed, as has
been previously noted, to overlook no bets. Aloud he said:

"The open season ended the day you left, and I haven't been to town
since."

She bit her lip in discomfiture; there was a prematureness about this
frontier lance that made him exceedingly difficult to parry, skilled as
she was in the subtle art of fence. The insolent assurance of that
thrust through her guard angered and alarmed her.

"You will pay for that," she resolved mentally, wrathful at his coarse
arrogance. But her frown was only that of gentle wonderment as she
turned inquiringly. "The town! I do not understand. Is there any game to
be hunted there?"

"Only faro, and poker, and roulette, with other divertisements of divers
kinds and sorts," he said humorously. "But one does not have to hunt
much for any of them so far as my experience goes. Yet I've even left
the seductive tiger unbucked in his lair for over six long weary months.
I've been so good that even the very thought