ver knew before what it was to have a defender," said she simply.

Meanwhile Strong, who thought this battle no affair of his, was amusing
himself as usual by chaffing Catherine. "I have told my colleague, who
professes languages," said he, "that I have a young Sioux in the city,
and he is making notes for future conversation with you."

"What will he talk about," asked Catherine; "are all professors as
foolish as you?"

"He will be light and airy with you. He asked me what gens you belonged
to. I told him I guessed it was the grouse gens. He said he had not been
aware that such a totem existed among the Sioux. I replied that, so far
as I could ascertain, you were the only surviving member of your
family."

"Well, and what am I to say?" asked Catherine.

"Tell him that the Rocky Mountains make it their only business to echo
his name," said Strong. "Have you an Indian grandmother?"

"No, but perhaps I could lariat an old aunt for him, if he will like me
better for it."

"Aunt will do," said Strong. "Address the old gentleman in Sioux, and
call him the 'dove with spectacles.' It will please his soft old heart,
and he will take off his spectacles and fall in love with you. There is
nothing so frivolous as learning; nothing else knows enough."

"I like him already," said Catherine. "A professor with spectacles is
worth more than a Sioux warrior. I will go with him."

"Don't be in a hurry," replied Strong; "it will come to about the same
thing in the end. My colleague will only want your head to dry and stuff
for his collection."

"If I were a girl again," said Mrs. Murray, who was listening to their
conversation, "I would much rather a man should ask for my head than my
heart."

"That is what is the matter with all of you," said Strong. "There are
Wharton and Esther at it again, quarreling about Catherine's head. Every
body disputes about her head, and I am the only one who goes for her
heart."

"Mr. Wharton is so stern," pleaded Esther in defense against the charge
of quarreling. "A hundred times he has told me that I can't draw; he
should have made me learn when he undertook to teach me."

"You might learn more easily now, if you would be patient about it,"
said Wharton. "You have too much quickness and not enough knowledge."

"I think Mr. Hazard turns his compliments better than you," said
Esther. "After one of your speeches I have to catch my breath and think
what it means."

"I mean that you ought to