he began to realise how
terribly worn and travel-stained his rough hunting costume had become.
It was a subject that he had never thought of out in the plains, for
what did dress matter so long as it was a stout covering that would
protect his body from the thorns? But now that he was to appear before
the governor's lady and Maude, he felt a curious kind of shame that made
him at last sit down in a chair, asking himself whether he had not
better go off and hide somewhere--anywhere, so as to be out of his
present quandary.

Sitting down in a chair too! How strange it seemed! He had not seated
himself in a chair now for a very, very long time, and it seemed almost
tiresome and awkward; but all the same it did nothing to help him out of
his dilemma.

"Whatever shall I do?" thought Bart. "And how wretched it is for me to
be waiting here when the Doctor is perhaps in a terrible state,
expecting help!"

"He is in safety, though," he mused the next minute, "for nothing but
neglect would make the place unsafe. How glad I am that I ran that
risk, and went all round to make sure that there was no other way up to
the mountain-top!"

Just then there was a soft tapping at the door, and a voice said--

"Are you ready to come, Bart? The governor is waiting."

"Yes--no, yes--no," cried Bart, in confusion, as he ran and opened the
door. "I cannot come, Maude. Tell them I cannot come."

"You cannot come!" she cried, wonderingly. "And why not, pray?"

"Why not! Just look at my miserable clothes. I'm only fit to go and
have dinner with the greasers."

Maude laughed and took hold of his hand.

"You don't know what our friends are like," she said, merrily. "They
know how bravely you rode over the plains with dear father's message,
and they don't expect you to be dressed in velvet and silver like a
Mexican Don. Come along, sir, at once."

"Must I?" said Bart, shrinkingly.

"Must you! Why, of course, you foolish fellow! What does it matter
about your clothes?"

Bart thought that it mattered a great deal, but he said no more, only
ruefully followed Maude into the next room, where he met with so
pleasantly cordial a reception that he forgot all his troubles about
garments, and thoroughly enjoyed the meal spread before him whenever he
could drag his mind away from thoughts of the Doctor in the desert
waiting for help.

Then he had to relate all his adventures to the governor's lady, who,
being childless, seemed t