is a border of the forget-me-nots all around the bottom.  But you are such a goose that you don’t know how pretty it is unless I tell you,” pretending to shake him, with trills of happy laughter.  “All the same, you shall look at the slippers, too!  You shall see that the kid is as blue as the forget-me-nots,—­whether you want to or not!” drawing back the skirt and putting out her foot.

And the boy gazing at her face, forgot his bashfulness far enough to admire the frock and the slippers as much as she thought they deserved.  Neither of these children of the wilderness knew how unsuitable her dress was, that it had never been intended for wearing in the morning anywhere, or for the forest at any time.  Ruth had worn only the daintiest and finest of garments all her life, without any regard for suitableness.  From her babyhood to this day of her girlhood, it had been Philip Alston’s pride and happiness to dress her as the proudest and richest father might dress his daughter, in the midst of the highest civilization.  Ruth knew nothing else, and those who knew her would scarcely have known her, seeing her otherwise.  It was only the few strangers stopping at Cedar House, on their way over the Wilderness Road, who gazed at Ruth in wondering amazement.  Naturally enough, those who had never seen her before could not at first believe the evidence of their own dazzled eyes.  To them this radiant young creature in her rich, delicate raiment could not seem real at first; she was too lovely, too like an enchanting vision born of the dim green shadows of the forest, a bewitching dryad, an exquisite sprite.

Some such thoughts as these crossed the mind of Paul Colbert as he looked at her through the open door.  He had ridden up unheard, had dismounted, tying his horse to a tree, and had then stood for several minutes without being seen by Ruth or David.  When he spoke, they thought that he had just arrived.  Ruth went forward to welcome him with the ease and grace that marked everything she did.  Nature had given her a pretty, gentle dignity, and Philip Alston’s cultured example had polished her manner.  She now did all the graceful offices of the hostess, quietly and simply.  She said how sorry she was that neither her uncle nor her cousin was at home.  They wished, she said, to be there when he came, so that they might try to thank him for his kindness to her.  But one or the other would return very soon; both had hoped to do so before his arrival.

“It is early for a visit,” Paul Colbert said, in a tone of apology; “but I couldn’t come at all to-day, unless I stopped now in passing.”

“Oh, no!” said Ruth, quickly.  “It isn’t very early.”

“And then I thought you might like to see this,” he said.

Rising, he stepped to her side, and gave her a sheet of paper torn from his note-book and covered with writing.  He did not return to the chair which he had arisen from, but took another much nearer her own.