sed by this unwarranted clang
of anger that she looked at him with wide open eyes.

"He is the driver I told you of, the man who took the wheel off my
carriage during the journey from St. Moritz," she explained.

"Oh, of course. How stupid of me to forget! But, by the way, did you
mention his name?"

"No, I think not. Someone interrupted me. Mr. Dunston came and spoke
to you----"

He laughed gayly and drew in deep breaths of the keen air. He was
carrying his ice ax over his left shoulder. With his right hand he
brushed away a disturbing thought. "By Jove! yes! Dunston dragged me
off to open a bank at baccarat, and you will be glad to hear that I
won five hundred pounds."

"I am glad you won; but who lost so much money?"

"Dunston dropped the greater part of it. Your American friend, Mr.
Spencer, was rather inclined to brag of his prowess in that direction,
it appears. He even went so far as to announce his willingness to play
for four figures; but he backed out of it."

"Do you mean that Mr. Spencer wanted to stake a thousand pounds on a
single game at cards?"

"Evidently he did not want to do it, but he talked about it."

"Yet he impressed me as being a very clear-headed and sensible young
man," said Helen decisively.

"Here, young lady, I must call you to account! In what category do you
place me, then?"

"Oh, you are different. I disapprove of anyone playing for such high
stakes; but I suppose you are used to it and can afford it, whereas a
man who has his way to make in the world would be exceedingly foolish
to do such a thing."

"Pray, how did you come to measure the extent of Spencer's finances?"

"Dear me! Did I say that?"

"I am sorry. Of course, I had no wish to speak offensively. What I
mean is that he may be quite as well able to run a big bank at
baccarat as I am."

"He was telling me yesterday of his early struggles to gain a footing
in some mining community in Colorado, and the impression his words
left on me was that he is still far from wealthy; that is, as one
understands the term. Here we are at the footpath. Shall we follow it
and scramble up out of the ravine, or do you prefer the carriage
road?"

"The footpath, please. But before we drop the subject of cards, which
is unquestionably out of place on a morning like this, let me say that
perhaps I have done the American an injustice. Dunston is given to
exaggeration. He has so little control over his face that it is rank
robbery