ave
caused him a lot of troublesome explanation at home. But I guess he knew I
would be likely to come across her. She is the very image of what her
mother was. He told me the whole story of how he found her here, and all.
And now he wants to do the proper thing and take her home with him."

"The devil he does!" growled Overton. "Well, why do you come to me about
it?"

"Your influence with her was one thing," answered Mr. Seldon, with a
dubious smile at the dark face before him. "This _protegee_ of yours has a
will of her own, it seems, and refuses utterly to acknowledge her
aristocratic relations, refuses to be a part of her uncle's household; and
we want your influence toward changing her mind."

"Well, you'll never get it," and the tone was decided as the words. "If
she says she is no relation to anybody, I'll back her up in it, and not
ask her her reasons, either. If she doesn't want to go with Mr. Haydon,
she is the only one I will allow to decide, unless he brings a legal order
from some court, and I might try to hinder him even then. She willingly
came under my guardianship, and when she leaves it, it must be
willingly."

"Oh, of course there will be no coercion about the matter," explained Mr.
Seldon, hastily. "But don't you, yourself, think it would be a decided
advantage for her to live for a while with her own relatives?"

"I am in no position to judge. I don't know her relatives. I don't know
why it is that she has not been taken care of by them long ago; and I am
not asking any questions. She knows, and that is enough; and I am sure her
reasons for not going would satisfy me."

"Well, you are a fine specimen to come to for influence," observed the
other. "She has a grudge against Haydon, that is the obstacle--a grudge,
because he quarreled with her mother long ago. I thought that as you have
done so much for her, your word might have weight in showing her the folly
of it."

"My word would have no more weight than yours," he answered, curtly. "All
I have done for her amounts to nothing; and I've an idea that if she
wanted me to know her family affairs, she would tell me."

"Which, interpreted, means that I had better be at other business than
gossiping," said Mr. Seldon, with much good humor. "Well, you are a fine
pair, and something alike, too--you goldfinders! She snubbed Max for
trying to persuade her, and you snub me. As a last resort, I think I shall
try to get that old Indian into our lobbying