o have a cottage on the ranch, and come into the house to help us, and
there is an old Chinese cook that Mark has had for years."

Becky spoke sharply. "You don't mean Mr.--Dalton's Kemp?"

"Yes. He came to Mark. Didn't you know?"

Becky had not known.

"Why did he leave Mr.--Dalton?"

"He and Georgie had a falling out about an omelette. I fancy it was a
sort of comic opera climax. So Mark got a treasure and Georgie-Porgie
lost one----"

"Georgie-Porgie?"

"Oh, I always call him that, and he hates it," Madge laughed at the
memory.

"You did it to--tease him?" slowly.

"I did it because it was--true. You know the old nursery rhyme? Well,
George is like that. There were always so many girls to be--kissed,
and it was so easy to--run away----"

She said it lightly, with shrugged shoulders, but she did not look at
Becky.

And that night when she was dressing for dinner, Madge said to her
husband, "It sounded--catty--Mark. But I had to do it. There's that
darling boy down there eating his heart out. And she is nursing a
dream----"

The Major was standing by his wife's door, and she was in front of her
mirror. It reflected her gold brocade, her amethysts linked with
diamonds in a long chain that ended in a jeweled locket. Her jewel
case was open and she brought out the pendant that George had sent her
and held it against her throat. "It matches the others," she said.

He arched his eyebrows in inquiry.

"I wouldn't wear it," she said with a sudden quick force, "if there was
not another jewel in the world. I wish he hadn't sent it. Oh, Mark, I
wish I hadn't known him before I found--you," she came up to him
swiftly; "such men as you," she said, "if women could only meet
them--_first_----"

His arm went around her. "It is enough that we--met----"

Becky was also at her mirror at that moment. She had dressed carefully
in silver and white with her pearls and silver slippers. Louise came
in and looked at her. "I haven't any grand and gorgeous things, you
know. And I fancy your Mrs. Prime will be rather gorgeous."

"It suits her," said Becky, "but after this she is going to be
different." She told Louise about the ranch and the linen frocks and
the frilled aprons. "She is going to make herself over. I wonder if
it will be a success."

"It doesn't fit in with my theories," said Louise. "I think it is much
better if people marry each other ready-made."

Becky turned from her mirror.