, steady hand, but he's the kind of man that
might throw up the game if one put tricks on him. My original policy
is the best. I must pit one against the other in a fair and open suit
till I can take my choice. Now that it is clear that Graydon cares
little for that hideous thing he calls his sister, my plan is safe."

"What a lovely color you have, Madge!" Graydon remarked, as they met
at supper. "You are unequalled in your choice of cosmetics."

"Not to be surpassed, at any rate."

"Where did you get it?"

"Up at Grand View."

"What, have you climbed that mountain?"

"It's not much of a mountain."

"It's a tremendous mountain," cried little Harry. "Aunt Madge's been
teaching us to climb, and she lifted us up and down the steep places
as if we were feathers, and she told us stories about the squirrels
and birds we saw up there. Oh, didn't we have a lovely time, Jennie?"

"Now I understand," said Graydon. "The glow in your face comes from
the consciousness of good deeds."

"It comes from exertion. Are you not making too much effort to be
satirical?"

"Therefore my face should be suffused with the hue of shame. You see
I have changed also, and have become a cynic and a heathen from long
residence in Europe."

"Please be a noble savage, then."

"That's not the style of heathen they develop abroad."

"Madge told us about the savages that used to live in these mountains,
and how bad they were treated," piped Jennie.

"Poor Lo! No wonder he went to the bad," said Graydon, significantly.
"He was never recognized as a man and a brother."

"And he was unsurpassed in retaliation," Madge added.

"Considering his total depravity and general innocence, that was to be
expected."

"It turned out to be bad policy."

"In so far as he was a man he hadn't any policy."

"I shall not depreciate the Indians for the sake of argument. They
rarely followed the wrong trail, however."

"What on earth are you and Madge driving at?" exclaimed Mrs. Muir.

"It matters little at what, but Madge appears to be the better
driver," chuckled Mr. Muir.

"You have a stanch champion in Henry," said Graydon.

"You wouldn't have him take sides against a woman?"

"Oh, no, but you have become so abundantly able to take care of
yourself that he might remain neutral."

"When you all begin to talk English again I'll join in, and now
merely remark that I am grateful to you, Madge, for taking care of the
children. Jack was good with t