fty below. It is
very different from the old days when I was here and at Allonby's two or
three nights every week."

"It must have been hard to give up what you did," said Hetty, with a
diffidence that was unusual in her. "Oh, I know you did it willingly, but
you must have found it was very different from what you expected. I mean
that the men you wanted to smooth the way for had their notions too, and
meant to do a good deal that could never please you. Suppose you found
they didn't want to go along quietly, making this country better, but only
to trample down whatever was there already?"

Flora Schuyler looked up. "I think you will have to face that question,
Mr. Grant," she said. "A good many men of your kind have had to do it
before you. Isn't a faulty ruler better than wild disorder?"

"Yes," said Hetty eagerly. "That is just what I mean. If you saw they
wanted anarchy, Larry, you would come back to us? We should be glad to
have you!"

The man turned his eyes away, and Flora Schuyler saw his hands quiver.

"No," he said. "I and the rest would have to teach them what was good for
them, and if it was needful try to hold them in. Whatever they did, we who
brought them here would have to stand in with them."

Hetty accepted the decision in his tone, and sighed. "Well," she said, "we
will forget it; and Flo has the coffee ready. That is yours, Larry, and
here's a box of crackers. Now, we'll try to think of pleasant things. It's
like our old-time picnics. Doesn't it remind you of the big bluff--only we
had a black kettle then, and you made the fire of sticks? There was the
day you shot the willow grouse. It isn't really so very long ago!"

"It seems years," said the man, wistfully. "So much has happened since."

"Well," said Hetty, "I can remember all of it still--the pale blue sky
behind the bluff, with the little curl of grey smoke floating up against
it. You sat by the fire, Larry, roasting the grouse, and talking about
what could be done with the prairie. It was all white in the sunshine, and
empty as far as one could see, but you told me it would be a great red
wheat-field by and by. I laughed at you for dreaming things that couldn't
be, but we were very happy that day."

Grant's face was very sad for a moment, but he turned to Miss Schuyler
with a little smile. "Hetty is leaving you out," he said.

"I wasn't there, you see," Miss Schuyler said quickly. "Those days belong
to you and Hetty."

Hetty glance