of the ladies. Colonel Preston was politician enough to avail
himself of the popularity of Maggie's adventure to invite some of
the Logport people to assist him in honoring their neighbor. Not
only was the old feud between the Fort and the people thus bridged
over, but there was no doubt that the discipline of the Fort had
been strengthened by Maggie's extravagant reputation as a mediator
among the disaffected rank and file. Whatever characteristic
license the grateful Dennis M'Caffrey--let off with a nominal
punishment--may have taken in his praise of the "Quane of the
Marshes," it is certain that the men worshiped her, and that the
band pathetically begged permission to serenade her the last night
of her stay.

At the end of that time, with a dozen invitations, a dozen
appointments, a dozen vows of eternal friendship, much hand-
shaking, and accompanied by a number of the officers to their boat,
Maggie and Jim departed. They talked but little on their way home;
by some tacit understanding they did not discuss those projects,
only recalling certain scenes and incidents of their visit. By the
time they had reached the little creek the silence and nervous
apathy which usually follow excitement in the young seemed to have
fallen upon them. It was not until after their quiet frugal supper
that, seated beside the fire, Jim looked up somewhat self-
consciously in his sister's grave and thoughtful face.

"Say, Mag, what was that idea o' yours about selling some land, and
taking a house at Logport?"

Maggie looked up, and said passively, "Oh, THAT idea?"