n."

"You seem to have plenty left."

"Oh, I'm recovering. Reason is trying to scramble back on her throne.
I've been out to the lake alone in the moonlight, and have had the
whole scene over again, to assure myself that it was real."

"What! You have not been in the water?"

"No; I was content to moon it out on the shore; but it seemed to me
that I saw you as clearly there as here."

"Little wonder! I must have been the most extraordinary looking
creature that ever prowled in these wilds."

"You were; only lookers-on did all the devouring. I wouldn't dare tell
you the compliments I have heard."

"You had better not, if your reason is even within sight of her
throne. When the danger was all over I caught a mental glimpse of
myself, and fell over as if shot;" and a slow, deep crimson stole into
her face.

"Madge," said Graydon, gravely and almost rebukingly, "do you think
there was a man present who did not reverence you? I was proud even of
your acquaintance."

Her face softened under his words, but she did not look at him. "We
were partners in misery," she said, laughing softly; "I have a vague
remembrance that you were as great a guy as I was."

"I shall be glad to be a guy with you in any circumstances you can
imagine, if you will let me make my peace, and will forgive my general
stupidity. Be reasonable also, as well as merciful. If it took you
over two years to make such changes, you should give me a few days to
rub my eyes and get them focused on the result."

Madge was now laughing heartily. "I don't believe a man could ever eat
the whole of a humble pie," she said. "He ever insists that the donor,
especially if she be a woman, should have a piece also."

"There, now," cried Graydon, ruefully; "give me all of it, and make
your terms."

"Solomon himself couldn't have advised you better," said Madge, while
Henry leaned back in his chair and laughed as if immensely amused,
while Mary improved the occasion by remarking, "When will men ever
learn that that is the way to get the best terms possible from a
woman?"

"Indeed!" said Graydon. "How you enlighten me! Well, Madge, I'm the
more eager now to learn your terms."

She felt that it was a critical moment--that there was, under their
badinage, a substratum of truth and feeling--and that she had now a
chance to establish relations that would favor her hope, if it had
a right to exist at all, and render future companionship free from
surmise on the