Bob Hampton of Placer

"Why, Phoebe Spencer, and have you really come! I did n't expect you

'd get along before next week. Oh, this seems too nice to see you

again; almost as good as going home to Vermont. You must be completely

tired out."

"Dear Aunt Lydia; of course I 'm glad to be here. But I 'm not in the

least tired. I 've had such a delightful trip." She glanced around

smilingly upon her perspiring cavaliers. "Oh, put those things down,

gentlemen--anywhere there on the grass; they can be carried in later.

It was so kind of you both."

"Hey, there!" sang out the driver, growing impatient, "if you two gents

are aimin' to go down town with this outfit, you'd better be pilin' in

lively, fer I can't stay here all day."

Moffat glanced furtively aside at McNeil, only to discover that

individual quietly seated on the trunk. He promptly dropped his own

grip.

"Drive on with your butcher's cart," he called out spitefully. "I

reckon it's no special honor to ride to town."

The pleasantly smiling young woman glanced from one to the other, her

eyes fairly dancing, as the lumbering coach disappeared through the red

dust.

"How very nice of you to remain," she exclaimed. "Aunt Lydia, I am so

anxious for you to meet my friends, Mr. Moffat and Mr. McNeil. They

have been so thoughtful and entertaining all the way up the Bear Water,

and they explained so many things that I did not understand."

She swept impulsively down toward them, both hands extended, the bright

glances of her eyes bestowed impartially.

"I cannot invite you to come into the house now," she exclaimed,

sweetly, "for I am almost like a stranger here myself, but I do hope

you will both of you call. I shall be so very lonely at first, and you

are my earliest acquaintances. You will promise, won't you?"

McNeil bowed, painfully clearing his throat, but Moffat succeeded in

expressing his pleasure with a well-rounded sentence.

"I felt sure you would. But now I must really say good-bye for this

time, and go in with Aunt Lydia. I know I must be getting horribly

burned out here in this hot sun. I shall always be so grateful to you

both."

The two radiant knights walked together toward the road, neither

uttering a word. McNeil whistled carelessly, and Moffat gazed intently

at the distant hills. Just beyond the gate, and without so much as

glancing toward his companion, the latter turned and strode up one of

the numerous diverging trails. McNeil halted and stared after him in

surprise.