er, then glanced at his watch. It was ten. He
reseated himself at his desk and endeavoured to fasten his thoughts
upon the entries in the book before him, but at last he exclaimed,
throwing down his pen: "Damned if I can or will!" and jumped up, and
went to tramping about the office, and when Dave's cat and kitten
presented themselves to be stroked, unfeelingly thrust them aside with
his boot as he tramped. And when Dave came in, about half-past eleven,
the boy found him part way into a clean white shirt, with the cat and
the kitten eying him resentfully, and received the order: "Get a move
on you; we're going to the Grahams' for dinner. See that you scrub
your face, too--and ears!" Which left Dave quite as indignant as the
cat, for he always washed his ears.

They arrived at the Graham ranch house shortly after noon, where
wreaths of holly, strings of evergreen, and red paper bells created a
Christmas atmosphere. Coming from their cold ride into these cheerful
rooms and to a warm welcome, the hearts of both man and boy glowed
with unaccustomed feeling. And throughout the dinner that followed
betimes--during which Mr. Graham's pleasantries and Louise's gay
spirits and mirth evoked in Lee a blitheness to which he long had been
a stranger and in Dave a state of joyous bliss--they luxuriated in
halcyon well-being. After the meal Louise, at her father's suggestion,
went to the piano and sang while the men were smoking their cigars.
And then followed an hour at cards, High Five, at which Mr. Graham and
Dave won the most games; and then a maid, a Mexican girl, Rosita,
brought in a bowl of nuts and raisins for the rancher and the boy who
settled themselves for a match at checkers, and Lee and Louise
strolled to a window seat at the other end of the long living room.

A delicate pink was in the girl's cheeks. Her eyes were tender under
their long lashes; a smile still lingered on her lips. It was as if
her countenance, her mind, her spirit, were suffused with the
happiness and peace of the hour, of the day.

"My poor one-armed man, how is he?" she asked. "I intended to go see
him, but the cold has been so steady that I gave it up. You said over
the telephone several days ago that he was doing as well as could be
expected."

"Quite out of danger now," Lee replied. "The doctor told him a lady
assisted at the operation and now he's full of curiosity regarding
you."

"I'll surprise him some day by just walking up to his cot a