s if he were on the point of again jumping
up and taking flight. Father Pat gone, he brightened considerably as he
discussed the departed guest. "Soldier, eh!" he exclaimed. "Wal, young
feller, I'll say this preachin' gent ain't no ev'ryday, tenderfoot
parson! No, ma'am! He's got savvy!"

He was politely attentive, if not enthusiastic, when Johnnie told him
more about Mr. Perkins, the future scout dwelling especially upon that
rosy time which would see him in uniform ("but how I'm goin' t' get
that, I don't know"). Johnnie did all the setting-up exercises for the
Westerner, too; and, as a final touch, displayed for his inspection an
indisputably clean neck!

But Johnnie had saved till the last the crowning news of all. And he
felt certain that if the cowboy had shown not more than a lively
interest in Father Pat, and had been only politely heedful regarding boy
scouts, things would be altogether different when he heard about the
engagement.

"One-Eye," began Johnnie, impressively, "I got somethin' _else_ t' tell
y'. Oh, it's somethin' that'll su'prise y' _awful_! What d' y' think it
is?"

One-Eye was in the morris chair at the time, his hat on, his single
organ of vision roving the kitchen. In particular, it roved in the
direction of the tiny room, where, through the open door, could be seen
dimly the gay paper flounces bedecking Cis's dressing-table. "Aw, I
dunno," he answered dully.

"But, _guess_, One-Eye!" persisted Johnnie, eager to fire the cowboy's
curiosity. "Guess! And I'll help y' out by tellin' y' this much: it's
'bout Cis."

Ah! That caught the interest! Johnnie could tell by the way that single
eye came shooting round to hold his own. "Yeh?" exclaimed the Westerner.
"Wal--? Wal--?" He leaned forward almost impatiently.

"Cis and Mister Perkins 're goin' t' be married."

One-Eye continued to stare; and Johnnie saw the strangest expression
come into the green eye. Anger seemed a part of that expression, and
instantly Johnnie regretted having shared the news (but why _should_ the
cowboy be angry?) Also there was pain in the look. Then did One-Eye
disapprove?

At this last thought, Johnnie hastened to explain how things stood in
the flat. "Big Tom, he don't know they're goin' t' be married," he said,
"and we'd be 'fraid t' tell him."

"I--I savvy." Now One-Eye studied the floor. Presently, as if he were
busy with his thoughts, he reached up and dragged his hat far down over
his blind eye. The hat