"Good morning, Sir Edgar; I am very glad to see you. Agatha and I were
just wishing we had a gentleman to help us. Are you willing to assist us
for a day?"

My face flushed hotly with delight.

"Am I willing to give myself a day of Utopian delight, Lady Thesiger?
Most certainly. I will do anything--I can be very useful. I can mount
drawings, frame photographs, sketch and design, and my humble talents
are all yours."

Then Agatha looked at me, and the glance of those eyes was so sweet I
almost lost myself.

"The Cherokee Indians, or whatever they are called, will be much obliged
to you," she said. "I cannot call working for them 'Utopian delight;' my
fingers ache with this stiff cardboard."

"You willfully misunderstand me, Miss Thesiger; the delight consists in
being with you, not in working for the Cherokees. Save that I shudder
when I hear that they have eaten a missionary, they have no particular
interest for me."

Lady Thesiger smiled.

"You must work, not talk, Sir Edgar. Sit down here, pray, and if you
think Miss Trevelyan will be uneasy, I will send a servant to tell her
that you will remain here for lunch and for dinner."

"I prepared her for that emergency; now give me something to do for the