en as ever, and I
could read approval in them. Then as Alice came toward us from an
adjoining car he laughed boisterously.

"What do you think of your cousin, lass?" he said. "He left us an
obstinate stripling, and this country has hammered him into a man. Thou
art a credit to the land that bred thee, lad. Ralph, I wronged thee
sorely, like the blundering fool I am, and first of all I ask thy
forgiveness."

Martin Lorimer could speak excellent modern English when he liked, and
usually did so, but, and in this he resembled others of his kind, in times
of excitement he used the older form which is still the tongue of
Lancashire. I made some haphazard answer, but it seemed appropriate, for
Alice smiled upon us as we shook hands heartily. When I turned toward her
a feeling of pity came upon me--she looked so wan and frail. Still her
eyes were bright with good-will, and her voice seemed to tremble a little
as she said, "I am so glad to see you and your uncle good friends again.
He was very stupid, and I told him so."

"You did, lass," said Martin Lorimer, "many a time, and we had words upon
it. We're a thick-headed people, Ralph, except for our womenkind, and if
we're slow to think evil we're slow to change. The Lord forgive me for
pig-headed folly."

"May I show you this wonderful township?" interrupted one of the railroad
magnates approaching with a bow. "Mr. Ralph Lorimer, I am desired to
invite you to the celebration dinner. It's the chief's especial wish that
you should be present," and he drew Alice away, leaving my uncle and
myself alone.

"We'll go and see the city, too," said the former. "Already the air of
your mountains makes me young again. Never heard how I cheated the
doctors, eh?--they badly wanted to bury me, but I'll tell you all about it
another time. Now I feel like a school lad out for a holiday."

He seemed in excellent spirits, and with me the bright sunshine, the
uproarious rejoicings of the crowd, and the events of the past half-hour
combined to banish all depression, while many an acquaintance smiled as he
glanced at the grizzled man in tourist tweeds who chatted gaily and gazed
about him with wondering eyes.

"You breed fine men over here," he said. "Never saw a finer set anywhere.
Bless me! look at that one striding toward us with the air of a general;
stamp of blood about him; where did he get it? And yet by the look of him
that fellow could do a hard day's work with any British navvy."