“You are a fine one to talk about things heavenly after fracturing the Sabbath-day.  What would have happened to you in Connecticut a hundred years ago?”

“I should have been ridden on one rail instead of two, probably.  I’m more concerned about what will happen to me to-day, and that depends not on blue laws, but blue blood.  I saw your father this morning, and he intrusted me with a letter for you.”

Mr. Arnault manifested not a particle of jealousy or apprehension, and Graydon felt himself shouldered out of the way by a courtesy to which he could take no exception.  He saw that only Miss Wildmere herself could check his rival’s resolute and easy assurance.  This he now felt sure she would do if it passed a certain point, and he went to his room, annoyed merely, and without solicitude.  “She must let the fellow down easily, I suppose,” he thought; “and after to-day I need have few fears.  If she had wanted him she could have taken him long ago.”

Miss Wildmere also went to her room and read her father’s letter.  It contained these few and significant words:  “In speaking of possible relations with Mr. M. I emphasized a small but important word—­’if.’  I now commend it to you still more emphatically.  You know I prefer Mr. M. Therefore you will do well to heed my caution.  Mr. M. may lose everything within a brief time.”

Miss Wildmere frowned and bit her lip with vexation.  Then her white face took on hard, resolute lines.  “I came near making a fool of myself this afternoon,” she muttered.  “I was more than once tempted to let Graydon speak.  Heavens!  I’d like to be engaged to him for awhile.  Mr. Arnault plays a bold, steady hand, but he’s the kind of man that might throw up the game if one put tricks on him.  My original policy is the best.  I must pit one against the other in a fair and open suit till I can take my choice.  Now that it is clear that Graydon cares little for that hideous thing he calls his sister, my plan is safe.”

“What a lovely color you have, Madge!” Graydon remarked, as they met at supper.  “You are unequalled in your choice of cosmetics.”

“Not to be surpassed, at any rate.”

“Where did you get it?”

“Up at Grand View.”

“What, have you climbed that mountain?”

“It’s not much of a mountain.”

“It’s a tremendous mountain,” cried little Harry.  “Aunt Madge’s been teaching us to climb, and she lifted us up and down the steep places as if we were feathers, and she told us stories about the squirrels and birds we saw up there.  Oh, didn’t we have a lovely time, Jennie?”

“Now I understand,” said Graydon.  “The glow in your face comes from the consciousness of good deeds.”

“It comes from exertion.  Are you not making too much effort to be satirical?”

“Therefore my face should be suffused with the hue of shame.  You see I have changed also, and have become a cynic and a heathen from long residence in Europe.”