ing, and together they descended to the
parlor. Besides the family, the Jenvie family were also present. Grace
met them at the door, shook hands with Sedgwick, and welcomed him with a
word and a smile which set all his pulses bounding, and, taking his arm,
presented him to the strangers; then shouted gaily: "Follow us! dinner
is waiting."

Sedgwick was given the seat at the right of his host; Grace took the seat
at his right, with Jack and Rose opposite.

The ladies were radiant in evening costume, and Sedgwick with a mighty
effort threw off the depression which had burdened the day and appeared
at his very best.

Mrs. Hamlin, judging shrewdly that perhaps it would relieve the stranger
from embarrassment to engage him in conversation, with beautiful tact
brought him to tell the company of his own country, remarking that "We
insular people have but a vague idea at best of America."

With a smile, Sedgwick replied: "I do not know very much myself of my
native country, for since I left school (here he glanced at Jack and his
eyes twinkled) I merely wandered slowly through the southwestern States,
almost to the Gulf in Texas, then bending north and west again, continued
until I reached the eastern slope of the Sierras, and then made a dive
underground and remained there until Jack determined to go home, and I
came along to take care of him."

Here Miss Jenvie interposed and said: "What was the most precious thing
you ever found in the mines, Mr. Sedgwick?"

"Considering who asked the question, it would be cruel not to tell you it
was Jack," he replied.

All laughed, and Miss Jenvie said: "Is it true, did you and Jack first
meet underground?"

"Indeed we did," said Sedgwick, "and we were neither of us handsomely
attired. I thought he was a gnome; he thought me a Chinese dragon."

Then Miss Grace interposed; "Mr. Sedgwick," said she, "is not Texas a
land where there are a great many cattle?"

"Millions of them," was the reply.

"And is not that the region where the cowboy is also found?" she
continued.

"There are a few there, surely," said Sedgwick, and looking across the
table he saw a smile on Jack's face.

"They are good riders and good shots, are they not?" Grace asked.

"Some of them ride well, and nearly all of them shoot well," said
Sedgwick.

"I would like to go there," said Grace, impetuously; "it must be a jolly
life." Then looking at her mother, she laughed gaily and said: "If ever
one of those