t till this morning----"

"Thank you! Then I'm welcome at your table."

She lowered her voice after that. She was engrossed with ordinary topics
whenever the waitress's duties brought Lida to the table. If there was
to be rivalry between the operatives of Vose-Mern, Miss Elsham decided
that her tactics with the Flagg drive master should not be known. She
did the talking and Latisan gave the appearance of being an earnest
listener. At a matter of fact, he played up strongly his affectation of
devoted interest. Ingenuous amateur that he was in the subtleties of
love, he was trying out a method which he had heard commended; he was
wondering how much an aroused jealousy might accomplish in the case of
Miss Patsy Jones.

He cast side glances and saw that she seemed to be disturbed. He
bestowed on Mrs. Everett more profound attention. He even allowed
himself to say when the waitress was within earshot, "I think I'll know
by to-morrow whether I'm to keep on at the head of the drive. If I don't
and if matters allow, I'll be glad to take charge of your trip into the
north country."

Latisan, boyishly crude in his methods, felt that Miss Jones would have
an interpretation of her own for "matters" and would do some earnest
thinking before she turned him over to the companionship of a rich
young widow, even in the humble role of a chief guide.

In spite of Brophy's sign, "No Smoking in This Dining Room"--a
restriction intended for woodsmen--Miss Elsham lighted a cigarette in
her satisfaction; her failure to interest the man of the woods even to
the extent of a second interview had been worrying the seductress de
luxe of the Vose-Mern establishment after her unbroken successes with
the men of the city.

She went out of the room chatting with Latisan, and found an opportunity
to sweep Miss Kennard with a patronizing glance.

Latisan spent the forenoon on the tavern porch, smoking his pipe and
waiting--even hoping--for a message from Echford Flagg. Rickety Dick
passed the place several times on his usual errands. Flagg, therefore,
would be informed that the drive master was loafing in the village. But
old Dick did not bring any word from the big house to Latisan.

To be sure, the split of the evening before had seemed discouragingly
final. But after the girl's rebuke and appeal Ward was ashamed of the
persisting stubbornness which was making him an idler in that exacting
period when the thunderous Noda waters were sounding a