right to the point," she declared. "Bless their hearts, they
thought they would--but they're too soft-hearted, even when they
are mad. If yuh go at 'em right yuh can talk 'em over easy. It
done me good to hear yuh talk right up to 'em, Bud." Mrs.
Stevens had called hi Bud from the first time she laid eyes on
him. "That's all under the sun they needed--just somebody to
set 'em thinking about the other side. You're a real good
speaker; seems to me you ought to study to be a preacher."

Thurston's face turned red. But presently he forgot everything
in his amazement, for Mona the dignified, Mona of the scornful
eyes and the chilly smile, actually giggled--giggled like any
ordinary girl, and shot him a glance that had in it pure mirth
and roguish teasing, and a dash of coquetry. He sat down and
giggled with her, feeling idiotically happy and for no reason
under the sun that he could name.

He had promised his conscience that he would go home to the Lazy
Eight in the morning, but he didn't; he somehow contrived,
overnight, to invent a brand new excuse for his conscience to
swallow or not, as it liked. Hank Graves had the same
privilege; as for the Stevens trio, he blessed their hospitable
souls for not wanting any excuse whatever for his staying. They
were frankly glad to have him there; at least Mrs. Stevens and
Jack were. As for Mona, he was not so sure, but he hoped she
didn't mind.

This was the reason inspired by his great desire: he was going
to write a story, and Mona was unconsciously to furnish the
material for his heroine, and so, of course, he needed to be