ut of humor than when he had set out, and when he saw that
Mrs. Archibald was sitting alone in the shade, reading, and that at a
considerable distance Harrison Clyde was seated by Margery, giving her a
lesson in drawing upon birch bark, or else taking a lesson from her, his
ill-humor increased.

"It is too bad," said he, taking a seat by Mrs. Archibald without being
asked; "everything seems to go wrong out here in these woods. It is an
unnatural way to live, anyhow, and I suppose it serves us right. When I
went to Sadler's I found a letter from my sister Corona, who says she
would like me to make arrangements for her to come here and camp with us
for a time. Now that suits me very well indeed. My sister Corona is a very
fine young woman, and I think it would be an excellent thing to have two
young ladies here instead of one."

"Yes," said Mrs. Archibald, "that might be very pleasant. I should be glad
for Margery to have a companion of her own sex."

"I understand precisely," said Raybold, nodding his head sagaciously; "of
her own sex. Yes, I see your drift, and I agree with you absolutely. There
is a little too much of that thing over there, and I don't wonder you are
annoyed."

"I did not say I was annoyed," said Mrs. Archibald, rather surprised.

"No," he answered, "you did not say so, but I can read between the lines,
even spoken lines. Now when I heard that my sister wanted to come out
here," he continued, "at first I did not like it, for I thought she might
be some sort of a restraint upon me; but when I considered the matter
further, I became very much in favor of it, and I sent a telegram by the
stage telling her to come immediately, and that everything would be ready
for her. My sister has a sufficient income of her own, and she likes to
have everything suited to her needs. I am different. I am a man of the
world, and although I do not always care to conform to circumstances, I
can generally make circumstances conform to me. As Shakespeare says, 'The
world is my pottle, and I stir my spoon.' You must excuse my quoting, but
I cannot help it. My life work is to be upon the stage, and where one's
mind is, there will his words be also."

Mr. Raybold was now in a much more pleasant mood than when he came to sit
in the shade with Mrs. Archibald. He was talking; he had found some one
who listened and who had very little to say for herself.

"Consequently," he remarked, "I ordered from Mr. Sadler the very best ten