was late, so late that when he came in, Virginia was the
only one of the four who remained at table. She stayed to pour his
coffee and to bespeak peace.

"Uncle Somerville, can't we win without calling in these horrid men
with their guns?"

A mere shadow of a grim smile came and went in the Rajah's eyes.

"An unprejudiced outsideh might say that the 'horrid men with their
guns' were on top of that embankment, my deah--ten to ouh one," he
remarked.

"But I should think we might win in some other way," Virginia
persisted undauntedly.

Mr. Darrah pushed his plate aside and cleared his throat.

"For business reasons which you--ah--wouldn't undehstand, we can't
let the Utah finish this railroad of theirs into Carbonate this
winteh."

"So much I have inferred. But Mr. Winton seems to be very determined."

"Mmph! I wish Mr. Callowell had favehed us with some one else--any
one else. That young fellow is a bawn fighteh, my deah."

Virginia had a bright idea, and she advanced it without examining
too closely into its ethical part.

"Mr. Winton is working for wages, isn't he?" she asked.

"Of cou'se; big money, at that. His sawt come high."

"Well, why can't you hire him away from the other people? Mr.
Callowell might not be so fortunate next time."

The Rajah sat back in his chair and regarded her thoughtfully.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Nothing my deah--nothing at all. I was just wondering how a
woman's--ah--sense of propo'tion was put togetheh. But your plan has
merit. Do I understand that you will faveh me with your help?"

"Why, ye-es, certainly, if I can," she assented, not without dubiety.
"That is, I'll be nice to Mr. Winton."

"That is precisely what I mean, my deah. We'll begin by having him
heah to dinneh this evening, him and the otheh young man--what's his
name?--Adams."

And the upshot of the matter was a dainty note which found its way
by the hands of the private-car porter to Winton, laboring manfully
at his task of repairing the landslide damages.

"Mr. Somerville Darrah's compliments to Mr. John Winton and Mr. Morton
P. Adams, and he will be pleased if they will dine with the party
in the car Rosemary at seven o'clock.

"Informal.

"Wednesday, December the Ninth."

VIII. THE GREEKS BRINGING GIFTS

Adams said "By Jove!" in his most cynical drawl when Winton gave him
the dinner-bidding to read: then he laughed.

Winton recovered the dainty note, folding it carefully and put