figure looked down at them. It was Grace Carrington, and as I stood a
little apart from the rest my heart leaped at the sight of her. Yet,
either from bashfulness or foolish pride, I would not move a step nearer.

"What a picture!" said Harry softly. "A princess of the prairie and her
subjects doing homage to her! Ralph, I say, you must not stare at the girl
like that. But, by Jove, she's smiling this way--yes, she is really
beckoning you!"

It was true, for a stripling who wore his deerskin jacket as though it
were the dolman of a cavalry officer strode forward, and inclining his
head said:

"If you are Mr. Lorimer, Miss Carrington desires to speak with you."

For some reason I drew Harry with me. It may have been that I felt the
company of a comrade of my own kind would be comforting in that assembly;
and then I forgot everything as, fixing her bright eyes on me, Grace held
out her hand.

"It was kind of you to meet me, and this is an unexpected pleasure," she
said. "You must come over to Carrington and tell me where you have
settled. Oh stay, Raymond, this is Mr. Lorimer--he was kind to me in
England, and I want you to invite him to your approaching festivities. You
will come, won't you, and bring your friend--very pleased to see you Mr.
Lorraine, too; then I shall have an opportunity for talking with you."

"Delighted, of course, to please you," said a tall bronzed man of maturer
years, bowing. "Met Mr. Lorimer already; pulled my wagon up most kindly
when the team was stalled in a ravine. If I'd known you were from the old
country would have ridden over already to ask you."

Further introductions followed, all effected in a queenly way, and with a
last pleasant glance toward us Grace moved toward the carriage, while I
fancied that some of the younger among her bodyguard regarded us
jealously. Harry and I stood silent until the cavalcade vanished into the
dimness, and then, while the last beat of hoofs died away, the blood
surged through every artery as he said:

"Wasn't she splendid! When she held out her hand to me I felt that I ought
to go down on one knee and kiss it, and all that kind of thing, you know.
Ralph, you stalked up like a bear; must have been dazed by too much
brightness, because you never even raised your hat. Well, one can
understand it; but I think some of the others would have liked to cut your
big solid throat for you."

Harry was both enthusiastic and impressionable, though I did not th