sensible
young lady."

He stopped somewhat abruptly, for Wisbech emerged from the shadows
beneath the pillars, and sat down in a chair close by.

"Yes," said Wisbech, "I heard, and it seems to me Derrick's right in
one respect. Though I don't know how far it accounts for the other
fact he has just impressed on you, Miss Waynefleet certainly possesses
a considerable amount of sense. She is also a young lady I have a high
opinion of. Still, if he had gone back to the Bush merely because you
insisted on it, I think I should have cast him off."

Gordon appeared to ponder over this, and he then laughed softly. "It's
quite natural, and I guess I sympathize with you," he remarked. "In
one way, however, your nephew's acquitting himself creditably,
considering that there are apparently three people anxious to exert a
beneficent influence upon him. The effect of that kind of thing is apt
to become a trifle bewildering, especially as it's evident their views
can't invariably coincide."

"Three?" said Wisbech, with a twinkle in his eyes. "If you count me
in, I almost fancy there are four."

Nasmyth said nothing, though he felt his face grow hot. Gordon
smiled.

"As a matter of fact," he admitted, "I had a notion that Miss Hamilton
resented my being here. Any way, she didn't take any very noticeable
trouble to be pleasant to me to-day. No doubt she considers any
influence she may choose to exert should be quite sufficient."

"It should be," said Nasmyth. "That is, to any man who happened to be
a judge of character, and had eyes in his head."

Gordon waved one hand. "Oh," he averred, "she's very dainty, and I
think there's a little more than prettiness there, which is a very
liberal admission, since I'm troubled with an impression that she
isn't quite pleased with me. Still, when the woods are full of pretty
girls, I guess it's wisest of a man who has anything worth while to do
in front of him to keep his eyes right on the trail, and go steadily
ahead." He turned to Wisbech deprecatingly. "We don't mind you, sir.
We regard you as part of the concern."

"Thanks," said Wisbech, with a certain dryness. "I believe I am
interested in it--at least, financially."

"Well," said Gordon, "when I break loose, as I do now and then, I
quite often say a little more than is strictly advisable without
meaning to. It's a habit some folks have. Your observation, however,
switches us off on to a different matter. I've been telling your
ne