er, and so made room for
the frock on her lap. "Now, ain't that soft and peachy and--and rich?"

But Annabel was silent. She lifted her eyes from the gown to Johnny, and
they were full of mist. Then her lip quivered, and a drop splashed down on
the delicate fabric. "My gracious!" she cried in consternation and,
rising, held the gown off at arm's-length. "Do you suppose it's going to
spot?"

And Banks' laugh piped once more. "I guess it can stand a little salt
water," he replied. "But if it can't, we can get a duplicate. And now you
just take your time and pick out what you want to wear. I am going up the
bench to look around and find Dave's springs. It'll likely take me an hour
or so, and you can be ready to start soon's I get back."

"Start?" she repeated. "Was you counting on going somewhere?"

"My, yes. I was counting on taking you a little spin down to Wenatchee the
first thing, and having a chicken dinner to the hotel. Then, soon's we get
a license and hunt up a sky man, we are going to run down to Oregon and
have a look at the old Corners."

"I never rode in an automobile," she said, glowing, "but I think I'd like
it fine."

"I bet you will. I bet, coming home, you'll be running the machine
yourself half the time."

He hurried away then, laughing his shrillest key, and Annabel laid the
pink chiffon back in the tray to follow him to the door. She stood
smiling, though the mist alternately gathered and cleared in her eyes,
watching him up the vale and waiting to see him reappear on the front of
the bench. But he found her ready when he returned; and the hat was
becoming beyond her hopes. It brought back in a measure the old brightness
that was half a challenge in her air, so that, to the mining man, she
seemed to have gone back, almost, those lost years. Still, his
satisfaction was tempered, and instantly she understood the cause. "The
roses seemed enough pink today," she said tactfully, "till I wear off some
of this tan. But I like this tan cloth awful well, don't you? It's a nice
color for out-of-doors and won't show the dust. And doesn't it fit
perfectly splendid? And look at these shoes. I don't see how you
remembered my size. You've thought of everything. There's even an
automobile veil. A lady that came out here with Mr. Tisdale had one about
the same shade. But you'll have to help me put it on so I won't spoil this
plume."

She pushed the pongee coat, which was carefully folded across the back of
a