ory he
had formed during the past month, so, as he lingered, he set about a
task that had lain in his mind for some time. As a rule he was not a
careful man in his speech, and the delicacy of this manoeuvre taxed his
ingenuity to the utmost, for he loved the girl and feared to say too
much.

"The Lieutenant is a smart young fellow," he began; "and it was slick
work jumpin' all those claims. It's just like him to befriend a girl
like you--I've seen him do it before--"

"What!" exclaimed Necia, "befriend other girls?"

"Or things just like it. He's always doing favors that get him into
trouble."

"This couldn't cause him trouble, could it, outside of Stark's and
Runnion's grudge?"

"No, I reckon not," assented the Corporal, groping blindly for some way
of expressing what he wished to say. "Except, of course, it might cause
a lot of talk at headquarters when it's known what he's done for you
and how he done it. I heard something about it down the street this
morning, so I'm afraid it will get to St. Michael's, and then to his
folks." He realized that he was not getting on well, for the task was
harder than he had imagined.

"I don't understand," said Necia. "He hasn't done anything that any man
wouldn't do under the same circumstances."

"No man's got a right to make folks talk about a nice girl," said the
Corporal; "and the feller that told me about it said he reckoned you
two was in love." He hurried along now without offering her a chance to
speak. "Of course, that had to be caught up quick; you're too fine a
girl for that."

"Too fine?" Necia laughed.

"I mean you're too fine and good to let him put you in wrong, just as
he's too fine a fellow and got too much ahead of him to make what his
people would call a messy alliance."

"Would his people object to--to such a thing?" questioned the girl.
They were alone in the store, and so they could talk freely. "I'm just
supposing, you know."

"Oh, Lord! Would they object?" Corporal Thomas laughed in a highly
artificial manner that made Necia bridle and draw herself up
indignantly.

"Why should they, I'd like to know? I'm just as pretty as other girls,
and I'm just as good. I know just as much as they do, too,
except--about certain things."

"You sure are all of that and more, too," the Corporal declared,
heartily, "but if you knowed more about things outside you'd understand
why it ain't possible. I can't tell you without hurtin' your feelin's,
and I like