replied.

"Don't you dare!" she cried.

Stewart went out and closed the door.

"Miss Hammond, you--you don't know how this hurts me," said
Florence. "What you must think of us! It's so unlucky that you
should have had this happen right at first. Now, maybe you won't
have the heart to stay. Oh, I've known more than one Eastern
girl to go home without ever learning what we really are cut
here. Miss Hammond, Gene Stewart is a fiend when he's drunk.
All the same I know, whatever he did, he meant no shame to you.
Come now, don't think about it again to-night." She took up the
lamp and led Madeline into a little room. "This is out West,"
she went on, smiling, as she indicated the few furnishings; "but
you can rest. You're perfectly safe. Won't you let me help you
undress--can't I do anything for you?"

"You are very kind, thank you, but I can manage," replied
Madeline.

"Well, then, good night. The sooner I go the sooner you'll rest.
Just forget what happened and think how fine a surprise you're to
give your brother to-morrow."

With that she slipped out and softly shut the door.

As Madeline laid her watch on the bureau she noticed that the
time was past two o'clock. It seemed long since she had gotten