ets, and the impromptu
washstand owed their existence to Geoff's cleverness with tools. But the
whole effect was pretty and tasteful, and Imogen, as she went on with
her dressing, looked about her with a somewhat reluctant admiration,
which was slightly tinctured with dismay.

"I suppose they got all these things out from the East," she reflected.
"I couldn't undertake them in our little cabin, I'm sure. It's very
nice, and really in very good taste, but it must have cost a great deal.
The Americans don't think of _that_, however; and I've always heard they
have a great knack at doing up their houses and making a good show."

"Go straight to bed if you feel like it. Don't think of coming down. We
will send you up some dinner," Clover had urged; but Imogen, tired as
she was, elected to go down.

"I really mustn't give in to a little fatigue," she thought. "I have the
honor of England to sustain over here." So she heroically put on her
heavy tweed travelling-dress again, and descended the stairs, to find a
bright little fire of pine-wood and cones snapping and blazing on the
hearth, and the whole party gathered about it, waiting for her and
dinner.

"What an extraordinary climate!" she exclaimed in a tone of
astonishment. "Melting with heat at three, and here at a quarter past
seven you are sitting round a fire! It really feels comfortable, too!"

"The changes _are_ very sharp," said Geoff, rising to give her his
chair. "Such a daily drop in temperature would make a sensation in our
good old Devonshire, would it not? You see it comes from the high
elevation. We are nearly eight thousand feet above the sea-level here;
that is about twice as high as the top of the highest mountain in the
United Kingdom."

"Fancy! I had no idea of it. Lionel did say something about the
elevation, but I didn't clearly attend." She glanced about the room,
which was looking its best, with the pink light of the shaded candles
falling on the white-spread table, and the flickering fire making golden
glows and gleams on the ceiling. "How _did_ you get all these pretty
things out here?" she suddenly demanded.

"Some came in wagons, and some just 'growed,'" explained Clover,
merrily. "We will let you into our secrets gradually. Ah, here comes
dinner at last, and I am sure we shall all be glad of it."

Choo Loo now entered with the soup-tureen, a startling vision to Imogen,
who had never seen a Chinaman before in her life.

"How very extrao