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writhing　and　distorted　objects　stiffened　into　dark　rigidity。　　She

had　often　looked　upon　the　prospect：　it　had　never　seemed　so　hard　and

changeless；　yet　she　accepted　it；　as　she　had　accepted　it　before。



She　turned　away；　undressed　herself　mechanically；　and　went　to　bed。

She　had　an　idea　that　she　had　been　very　foolish；　that　her　escape

from　being　still　more　foolish　was　something　miraculous；　and　in　some

measure　connected　with　Providence；　her　father；　her　little　brother；

and　her　dead　mother；　whose　dress　she　had　recklessly　spoiled。　　But

that　she　had　even　so　slightly　touched　the　bitterness　and　glory　of

renunciationas　written　of　heroines　and　fine　ladies　by　novelists

and　poetsnever　entered　the　foolish　head　of　Minty　Sharpe；　the

blacksmith's　daughter。





CHAPTER　IV。





It　was　a　little　after　daybreak　next　morning　that　Mainwaring　awoke

from　the　first　unrefreshing　night　he　had　passed　at　The　Lookout。　　He

was　so　feverish　and　restless　that　he　dressed　himself　at　sunrise；　and

cautiously　stepped　out　upon　the　still　silent　veranda。　　The　chairs

which　he　and　Louise　Macy　had　occupied　were　still；　it　seemed　to　him；

conspicuously　confidential　with　each　other；　and　he　separated　them；

but　as　he　looked　down　into　the　Great　Canyon　at　his　feet　he　was

conscious　of　some　undefinable　change　in　the　prospect。　　A　slight　mist

was　rising　from　the　valley；　as　if　it　were　the　last　of　last　night's

illusions；　the　first　level　sunbeams　were　obtrusively　searching；　and

the　keen　morning　air　had　a　dryly　practical　insistence　which

irritated　him；　until　a　light　footstep　on　the　farther　end　of　the

veranda　caused　him　to　turn　sharply。



It　was　the　singular　apparition　of　a　small　boy；　bearing　a　surprising

resemblance　to　Minty　Sharpe；　and　dressed　in　an　unique　fashion。　　On

a　tumbled　sea　of　blond　curls　a　〃chip〃　sailor　hat；　with　a　broad　red

ribbon；　rode　jauntily。　　But　here　the　nautical　suggestion　changed；

as　had　the　desire　of　becoming　a　pirate　which　induced　it。　　A　red

shirt；　with　a　white　collar；　and　a　yellow　plaid　ribbon　tie；　that

also　recalled　Minty　Sharpe；　lightly　turned　the　suggestion　of　his

costume　to　mining。　　Short　black　velvet　trousers；　coming　to　his

knee；　and　ostentatiously　new　short…legged　boots；　with　visible

straps　like　curling　ears；　completed　the　entirely　original　character

of　his　lower　limbs。



Mainwaring；　always　easily　gentle　and　familiar　with　children　and　his

inferiors；　looked　at　him　with　an　encouraging　smile。　　Richelieufor

it　was　headvanced　gravely　and　held　out　his　hand；　with　the　cameo

ring　apparent。　　Mainwaring；　with　equal　gravity；　shook　it　warmly；

and　removed　his　hat。　　Richelieu；　keenly　observant；　did　the　same。



〃Is　Jim　Bradley　out　yet？〃　asked　Richelieu；　carelessly。



〃No；　I　think　not。　　But　I'm　Frank　Mainwaring。　　Will　I　do？〃



Richelieu　smiled。　　The　dimples；　the　white　teeth；　the　dark；　laughing

eyes；　were　surely　Minty's？



〃I'm　Richelieu；〃　he　rejoined　with　equal　candor。



〃Richelieu？〃



〃Yes。　　That　Frenchmanthe　Lord　Cardinalyou　know。　　Mar　saw

Forrest　do　him　out　in　St。　Louis。〃



〃Do　him？〃



〃Yes；　in　the　theayter。〃



With　a　confused　misconception　of　his　meaning；　Mainwaring　tried　to

recall　the　historical　dress　of　the　great　Cardinal　and　fit　it　to　the

masqueraderif　such　he　werebefore　him。　　But　Richelieu　relieved

him　by　adding；



〃Richelieu　Sharpe。〃



〃Oh；　that's　your　NAME！〃　said　Mainwaring；　cheerfully。　　〃Then　you're

Miss　Minty's　brother。　　I　know　her。　　How　jolly　lucky！〃



They　both　shook　hands　again。　　Richelieu；　eager　to　get　rid　of　the

burden　of　his　sister's　message；　which　he　felt　was　in　the　way　of

free…and…easy　intercourse　with　this　charming　stranger；　looked

uneasily　towards　the　house。



〃I　say；〃　said　Mainwaring；　〃if　you're　in　a　hurry；　you'd　better　go　in

there　and　knock。　　I　hear　some　one　stirring　in　the　kitchen。〃



Richelieu　nodded；　but　first　went　back　to　the　steps　of　the　veranda；

picked　up　a　small　blue　knotted　handkerchief；　apparently　containing

some　heavy　objects；　and　repassed　Mainwaring。



〃What！　have　you　cut　it；　Richelieu；　with　your　valuables？　　What　have

you　got　there？〃



〃Specimins；〃　said　Richelieu；　shortly；　and　vanished。



He　returned　presently。　　〃Well；　Cardinal；　did　you　see　anybody？〃

asked　Mainwaring。



〃Mrs。　Bradley；　but　Jim's　over　to　the　mill。　　I'm　goin'　there。〃



〃Did　you　see　Miss　Macy？〃　continued　Mainwaring；　carelessly。



〃Loo？〃



〃Loo！well；　yes。〃



〃No。　　She's　philanderin'　with　Captain　Greyson。〃



〃Philandering　with　Greyson？〃　echoed　Mainwaring；　in　wonder。



〃Yes；　on　horseback　on　the　ridge。〃



〃You　mean　she's　riding　out　with　Mr。with　Captain　Greyson？〃



〃Yes；　ridin'　AND　philanderin'；〃　persisted　Richelieu。



〃And　what　do　you　call　philandering？〃



〃Well；　I　reckon　you　and　she　oughter　know；〃　returned　Richelieu；　with

a　precocious　air。



〃Certainly；〃　said　Mainwaring；　with　a　faint　smile。　　Richelieu　really

was　like　Minty。



There　was　a　long　silence。　　This　young　Englishman　was　becoming

exceedingly　uninteresting。　　Richelieu　felt　that　he　was　gaining

neither　profit　nor　amusement；　and　losing　time。　　〃I'm　going；〃　he

said。



〃Good　morning；〃　said　Mainwaring；　without　looking　up。



Richelieu　picked　up　his　specimens；　thoroughly　convinced　of　the

stranger's　glittering　deceitfulness；　and　vanished。



It　was　nearly　eight　o'clock　when　Mrs。　Bradley　came　from　the　house。

She　apologized；　with　a　slightly　distrait　smile；　for　the　tardiness

of　the　household。　　〃Mr。　Bradley　stayed　at　the　mill　all　night；　and

will　not　be　here　until　breakfast；　when　he　brings　your　friend　Mr。

Richardson　with　him〃Mainwaring　scarcely　repressed　a　movement　of

impatience〃who　arrives　early。　　It's　unfortunate　that　Miss　Sharpe

can't　come　to…day。〃



In　his　abstraction　Mainwaring　did　not　notice　that　Mrs。　Bradley

slightly　accented　Minty's　formal　appellation；　and　said　carelessly；



〃Oh；　that's　why　her　brother　came　over　here　so　early！〃



〃Did　YOU　see　him？〃　asked　Mrs。　Bradley；　almost　abruptly。



〃Yes。　　He　is　an　amusing　little　beggar；　but　I　think　he　shares　his

sister's　preference　for　Mr。　Bradley。　　He　deserted　me　here　in　the

veranda　for　him　at　the　mill。〃



〃Louise　will　keep　you　company　as　soon　as　she　has　changed　her

dress；〃　continued　Mrs。　Bradley。　　〃She　was　out　riding　early　this

morning　with　a　friend。　　She's　very　fond　of　early　morning　rides。〃



〃AND　philandering；〃　repeated　Mainwaring　to　himself。　　It　was　quite

natural　for　Miss　Macy　to　ride　out　in　the　morning；　after　the　fashion

of　the　country；　with　an　escort；　but　why　had　the　cub　insisted　on　the

〃philandering〃？　　He　had　said；　〃AND　philandering；〃　distinctly。　　It

was　a　nasty　thing　for　him　to　say。　　Any　other　fellow　but　he；

Mainwaring；　might　misunderstand　the　whole　thing。　　Perhaps　he　ought

to　warn　herbut　no！　he　could　not　repeat　the　gossip　of　a　child；　and

that　child　the　brother　of　one　of　her　inferiors。　　But　was　Minty　an

inferior？　　Did　she　and　Minty　talk　together　about　this　fellow

Greyson？　　At　all　events；　it　would　only　revive　the　awkwardness　of

the　preceding　day；　and　he　resolved　to　say　nothing。



He　was　rewarded　by　a　half…inquiring；　half…confiding　look　in

Louise's　bright　eyes；　when　she　presently　greeted　him　on　the

veranda。　　〃She　had　quite　forgotten；〃　she　said；　〃to　tell　him　last

night　of　her　morning's　engagement；　indeed；　she　had　half　forgotten

IT。　　It　used　to　be　a　favorite　practice　of　hers；　with　Captain

Greyson；　but　she　had　lately　given　it　up。　　She　believed　she　had　not

ridden　sincesince〃



〃Since　when？〃　asked　Mainwaring。



〃Well；　since　you　were　ill；〃　she　said　frankly。



A　quick　pleasure　shone　in　Mainwaring's　cheek　and　eye；　but　Louise's

pretty　lids　did　not　drop；　nor　her　faint；　quiet　bloom　deepen。

Breakfast　was　already　waiting　when　Mr。　Richardson　arrived　alone。



He　explained　that　Mr。　Bradley　had　some　important　and　unexpected

business　which　had　delayed　him；　but　which；　he　added；　〃Mr。　Bradley

says　may　prove　interesting　enough　to　you　to　excuse　his　absence　this

morning。〃　　Mainwaring　was　not　displeased　that　his　critical　and

observant　host　was　not　present　at　their　meeting。　　Louise　Macy　was；

however；　as　demurely　conscious　of　the　different　bearing　of　the　two

compatriots。　　Richardson's　somewhat　self…important　patronage　of

the　two　ladies；　and　that　Californian　familiarity　he　had　acquired；

changed　to　a　certain　uneasy　deference　towards　Mainwaring；　while　the

younger　Englishman's　slightly　stiff　and　deliberate　cordiality　was；

nevertheless；　mingled　with　a　mysterious　understanding　that　appeared

innate　and　unconscious。　　Louise　was　quick　to　see　that　these　two

men；　more　widely　divergent　in　quality　than　any　two　of　her　own

countrymen；　were　yet　more　subtly　connected　by　some　unknown　sympathy

than　the　most　equal　of　Americans。　　Minty's　prophetic　belief　of　the

effect　of　the　two　women　upon　Richardson　was　certainly　true　as

regarded　Mrs。　Bradley。　　The　bankera　large　material　naturewas

quickly　fascinated　by　the　demure；　puritanic　graces　of　that　lady；

and　was　inclined　to　exhibit　a　somewhat　broad　and　ostentatious