Bob Hampton of Placer

He laughed, now placed entirely at his ease. "Your need of mercy is

appreciated, fair lady. Is it your desire to return to the hall?"

She shook her head positively. "A cheap, gaudy show, all bluster and

vulgarity. Even the dancing is a mere parody. I early tired of it."

"Then let us choose the better part, and sit here on the bench, the

night our own."

He conducted her across the porch to the darkest corner, where only

rifts of light stole trembling in between the shadowing vines, and

there found convenient seats. A moment they remained in silence, and

he could hear her breathing.

"Have you truly been at the hall," she questioned, "or were you merely

fibbing to awaken my interest?"

"I truly have been," he answered, "and actually have danced a measure

with the fair guest of the evening."

"With Phoebe Spencer! And yet you dare pretend now to retain an

interest in me? Lieutenant Brant, you must be a most talented

deceiver, or else the strangest person I ever met. Such a miracle has

never occurred before!"

"Well, it has certainly occurred now; nor am I in this any vain

deceiver. I truly met Miss Spencer. I was the recipient of her most

entrancing smiles; I listened to her modulated voice; I bore her off, a

willing captive, from a throng of despairing admirers; I danced with

her, gazing down into her eyes, with her fluffy hair brushing my cheek,

yet resisted all her charms and came forth thinking only of you."

"Indeed? Your proof?"

He drew the white satin fan forth from his pocket, and held it out

toward her with mock humility. "This, unbelieving princess.

Despatched by the fair lady in question to fetch this bauble from the

dressing-room, I forgot my urgent errand in the sudden delight of

finding you."

"The case seems fully proved," she confessed, laughingly, "and it is

surely not my duty to punish the culprit. What did you talk about?

But, pshaw, I know well enough without asking--she told you how greatly

she admired the romance of the West, and begged you to call upon her

with a recital of your own exploits. Have I not guessed aright?"

"Partially, at least; some such expressions were used."

"Of course, they always are. I do not know whether they form merely a

part of her stock in trade, or are spoken earnestly. You would laugh

to hear the tales of wild and thrilling adventure which she picks up,

and actually believes. That Jack Moffat possesses the most marvellous

imagination for such things, and if I make fun of his impossible

stories she becomes angry in an instant."