ed from one to another, and all but the host
seemed overflowing with animation. Although Latimer looked after the
needs of his guests, he was often preoccupied.

"Why so silent, judge?" asked the doctor in a lull of conversation.

"I beg your pardon," Arthur apologized. "I fear I was rude. Perhaps I
was trying to work out the salvation of my country--from my own point of
view."

"Planning for re-nomination?" asked Moore, innocently.

"And your ankle?" asked Danvers of Miss Blair, under cover of the laugh
that followed Moore's attempt at wit. "I hope that you are not suffering
from it." His observant eye had noted the smooth contour of the girl's
face, but as the moments passed the natural lack of high coloring seemed
to grow more colorless.

"It hurts--a little," confessed the girl. "But it is of no consequence.
Mrs. Latimer's dinner must not be marred by my blundering in the dark. I
should have come by the walk."

"You are thoughtful." Danvers looked again at the girl, and wished for
the first time that he could use the small talk of society. Politics was
debarred from the table conversation, but when they were again in the
parlors Miss Blair turned to Danvers.

"Aren't you the senator from Chouteau?"

"Not yet," smiled Philip.

"Oh, but you will be. My brother says so."

"I'm glad some one is optimistic. I'm afraid I shall not be the deciding
party."

"Who will be our United States senator?"

"That is hard to tell. So many straws sticking out of the tangle make it
difficult to prophesy which will be pulled out."

"Your party is so split up this year," said the girl. "Which wing are
you affiliated with?"

This was not "small talk," as Danvers recognized with an amused feeling
that he had not expected a lady to know anything outside his
preconceived idea of feminine chat.

"Montana politics have no wings," he quibbled.

Miss Blair laughed. "Really, haven't you decided which of the candidates
you'll support for United States senator?" She ran over the names.

"That's rather a leading question, isn't it?" evaded Philip. "If a _man_
asked me, I'd give him no satisfaction. I will say to you, though, that
I am going to do my best to send some one to Washington who is pledged
to place community interests before his own."

"I did not mean to ask impertinent questions, or to cross-examine,"
quavered Miss Blair. "One who finds out anything from you must have
taken his thirty-third degree in Masonry. I am n