pped up snugly in a warm, fur coat.
Apparently she was alone.

"Great Scot, lassie!--what are you doing here?"

"Good evening, gentlemen!" she said politely.

Phil returned her salutation, with a very uneasy feeling inside.

"Little ladies should be sleeping in their beds," put in Jim in a tone
of admonition.

"I wouldn't mind if I were now," she returned. "I just couldn't resist
coming down here when I heard of the breakaway from jail, and so many
of the men felt they had to rush off from our place.

"I coaxed daddy to bring me down. I lost him somewhere in the crowd
half an hour ago."

"Ugh-huh!--and what else?" inquired Jim.

"Well, I am positively sick of having my dad for a member of
parliament. I never seem to have him to myself for five minutes on
end. I don't know where he has gone to, I'm tired and,--and I'm
looking for some big, strong man to see me home up the hill. Would you
mind, Jim?"

"No, indeed, Eileen! I would be glad to do so,--but unfortunately I
have promised Thompson, the Government Agent, to stay here in charge
till he gets back. But Phil here will see you home, and be delighted
to do so. Eh, Phil?"

"Why--why, certainly! Only too pleased!" said Phil, although he could
have punched Jim's head for putting him in such a predicament. He half
hoped that Eileen Pederstone would find an excuse, but instead, she
accepted the proffered service without demur.

They started off immediately. Neither spoke for a hundred yards or so,
for a constraint seemed to be holding both back; the one did not know
of anything fitting to say, and the other had so much to say that she
was at a loss to know how or where to begin.

Womanlike, Eileen was first to break the silence.

"I was sorry, Mr. Ralston, that you were too busy to come to our place
to-night--or, I should say, last night, for it is morning now."

"I wasn't exactly too busy," returned Phil frankly. "I walked the
hills for the good of my health, and I enjoyed myself splendidly."

"Oh!--I thought--I thought you would be sure to come, if only for
daddy's sake,--unless something serious would prevent you," said the
young lady slowly.

It was dark and impossible for either one to see the other clearly, so
they had to be guided by the voice alone.

"Yes,--I guess probably I should have come, but----"

Eileen interrupted him.

"Mr. Ralston,--don't let us fence any more. That's what everybody does
nowadays. It isn't honest. Can't we be hones