tice the uncomplimentary
nature of the suggestion. "And ye see I could call her 'Miss Pottinger,'
which would come easier to me."

In its high resolve to bear with the weaknesses of Prosper's mother,
the camp received the news of the advent of Prosper's cousin solely with
reference to its possible effect upon the aunt's habits, and very little
other curiosity. Prosper's own reticence, they felt, was probably due to
the tender age at which he had separated from his relations. But when
it was known that Prosper's mother had driven to the house with a very
pretty girl of eighteen, there was a flutter of excitement in that
impressionable community. Prosper, with his usual shyness, had evaded an
early meeting with her, and was even loitering irresolutely on his way
home from work, when, as he approached the house, to his discomfiture
the door suddenly opened, the young lady appeared and advanced directly
towards him.

She was slim, graceful, and prettily dressed, and at any other moment
Prosper might have been impressed by her good looks. But her brows were
knit, her dark eyes--in which there was an unmistakable reminiscence
of Mrs. Pottinger--were glittering, and although she was apparently
anticipating their meeting, it was evidently with no cousinly interest.
When within a few feet of him she stopped. Prosper with a feeble smile
offered his hand. She sprang back.

"Don't touch me! Don't come a step nearer or I'll scream!"

Prosper, still with smiling inanity, stammered that he was only "goin'
to shake hands," and moved sideways towards the house.

"Stop!" she said, with a stamp of her slim foot. "Stay where you are!
We must have our talk out HERE. I'm not going to waste words with you in
there, before HER."

Prosper stopped.

"What did you do this for?" she said angrily. "How dared you? How could
you? Are you a man, or the fool she takes you for?"

"Wot did I do WOT for?" said Prosper sullenly.

"This! Making my mother pretend you were her son! Bringing her here
among these men to live a lie!"

"She was willin'," said Prosper gloomily. "I told her what she had to
do, and she seemed to like it."

"But couldn't you see she was old and weak, and wasn't responsible for
her actions? Or were you only thinking of yourself?"

This last taunt stung him. He looked up. He was not facing a helpless,
dependent old woman as he had been the day before, but a handsome,
clever girl, in every way his superior--and in the rig