long."

"Of course it is all right," answered Overton, assuringly. "Our camp has a
welcome for your friend even if we haven't first-class accommodations for
him. And is this lady also a friend?"

For Lyster, forgetful of his usual gallantry, had allowed the doctor to
assist the other voyager from the canoe--a rather tall lady of the age
generally expressed as "uncertain," although the certainty of it was an
indisputable fact.

A rather childish hat was perched upon her thin but carefully frizzed
hair, and over her face floated a white veil, that was on a drawing string
around the crown of the hat and drooped gracefully and chastely over the
features beneath, after the fashion of 1860. A string of beads adorned the
thin throat, and the rest of her array was after the same order of
elegance.

The doctor and Lyster exchanged glances, and Lyster was silently
proclaimed master of ceremonies.

"Oh, yes," he said, easily. "Pardon me that I am neglectful, and let me
introduce you to Miss Slocum--Miss Lavina Slocum of Cherry Run, Ohio. She
is the cousin of our friend, Mrs. Huzzard, and was in despair when she
found her relative had left the settlement; so we had the pleasure of her
company when she heard we were coming direct to the place where Mrs.
Huzzard was located."

"She will be glad to see you, miss," said Overton, holding out his hand to
her in very hearty greeting. "Nothing could be more welcome to this camp
just now than the arrival of a lady, for poor Mrs. Huzzard has been having
a sorry siege of care for the last week. If you will come along, I will
take you to her at once."

Gathering up her shawl, parasol, a fluffy, pale pink "cloud," and a
homemade and embroidered traveling bag, he escorted her with the utmost
deference to the door of the log cabin, leaving Lyster without another
word.

That easily amused gentleman stared after the couple with keen
appreciation of the picture they presented. Miss Slocum had a queer,
mincing gait which her long limbs appeared averse to, and the result was a
little hitchy. But she kept up with Overton, and surveyed him with weak
blue eyes of gratitude. He appeared to her a very admirable personage--a
veritable knight of the frontier, possibly a border hero such as every
natural woman has an ideal of.

But to Lyster, Dan with his arms filled with female trappings and a lot of
pink zephyr blown about his face and streaming over his shoulder, like a
veritable banner of Love