come attached to this place, but just then I heard that my cousin
had traced me to St. Paul, and was in pursuit, to renew his attentions
to me, so I decided to remain here where he will be less likely to
find me. Helen and her husband are in Denver, sworn to secrecy
regarding my whereabouts."

"Well, well!" exclaimed the old gentleman, meditatively, "I wouldn't
have thought your aunt would so far have forgotten herself. It was
unfortunate that your father made such a will, leaving everything to
Humphrey in case of your dying unmarried, but that was when you were
both children, and he was very fond of the little fellow. Leslie, my
dear, I wish you were married."

"But I am not, and perhaps never likely to be," Miss Gladden answered
merrily.

"Yes, and you might have been married twenty times over," said Mr.
Winters, shaking his head, "and my own boy, Harry, among the lot."

"Once is enough for me, papa dear," said Miss Gladden lightly, yet in
a more tender tone, "when the right one comes; but it could never have
been Harry, any more than his brother, Richard; you and mamma were
like parents to me, and the boys both seem like brothers."

"Have you found the right one, yet?" asked the old gentleman, watching
her keenly.

"As I told you, I am not looking for a knight," she answered brightly,
but the color deepened on her cheek, "if he ever comes, he must find
me."

Mr. Winters noted the telltale flush, and slowly shaking his head,
remarked, "I don't know, Leslie, about the advisability of leaving you
here; you were always inclined to be very philanthropic, and it would
be like you to adopt some young man out here, thinking you had money
enough for yourself and him, too; that clerk down at the office, for
instance, or this kid that was prancing around in eye-glasses."

"The 'kid' as you call him," Miss Gladden answered demurely, "has
plenty of money of his own, and Mr. Houston seems abundantly able to
take care of himself; if I adopt any one, it will be that beautiful
girl who waited on you at dinner."

"What is that, my dear?" said the old gentleman, brightening, "I
noticed that girl at the table to-day; she is remarkably fine looking,
and seemed to conduct herself like a perfect lady; who is she?"

Miss Gladden, in her enthusiastic manner, began telling him of Lyle,
and of the interest she had taken in her, but before she had proceeded
very far, the team appeared at the junction of the roads, the men
calling M