ized that Derrick Nasmyth's
character had its defects, but she was by no means prepared to admit
it to his relatives.

"Then it didn't occur to you that an idea of that kind was likely to
appeal to your nephew?" she said.

"No," declared Wisbech, "to be candid, it didn't." He smiled again.
"After all, I don't think we need trouble about that point, especially
as it seems he has acquitted himself very well. I, however, can't help
feeling it was in some respects fortunate that he fell into your
hands."

Laura was usually composed, but he saw her face harden, for she was
angry at his insistence. "It is evident," he went on, "that he would
not have had the opportunity of building the dam unless you had nursed
him back to health and taken him into your employment."

"It was my father who asked him to stay on at the ranch."

"I am not sure that the correction has any very great significance.
One would feel tempted to believe that your father is, to some extent,
in the habit of doing what you suggest."

Laura sat still a moment or two. She was certainly angry with the
stranger, and yet, in spite of that fact, she felt that she liked him.
There was a candour in his manner which pleased her, as his
good-humoured shrewdness did, though she would have preferred not to
have the shrewdness exercised upon herself. It may be that he guessed
what she was thinking, for he smiled.

"Miss Waynefleet," he said, "I almost fancy we should make excellent
friends, but there is a point on which I should like you to enlighten
me. Why did you take the trouble to make me understand that you were
doing nothing unusual when you asked me to dinner?"

Laura laughed. "Well," she said, "if one must be accurate, I do not
exactly know. I may have been a little unwise in endeavouring to
impress it on you. Why did you consider it worth while to explain you
had very seldom been in the saddle?"

Wisbech's manner became confidential. "It's a fact that has counted
against me now and then. Besides, I think you noticed my accent--it's
distinctly provincial, and not like yours or Derrick's--as soon as I
told you I was a relative of his. You see, I know my station. In fact,
I'm almost aggressively proud of it." He spread out his hands in a
forceful fashion. "It's a useful one."

He reached out, and, to the girl's surprise, took up a bowl from the
table, and appeared to weigh it in his hands. It was made of the
indurated fibre which is frequently to be