into partnership. If there had only been sentiment of any kind
connected with any of them! But they were all alike, brave, unselfish,
humorous--and often ridiculous. If anything, Dick Mattingly was funniest
by nature, and made her laugh more. Maryland Joe, his brother, told
better stories (sometimes of Dick), though not so good a mimic as the
other Kearney, who had a fairly sympathetic voice in singing. They were
all good-looking enough; perhaps they set store on that--men are so
vain.

And as for her own rejected suitor, Fairfax Munroe, except for a kind of
grave and proper motherliness about his protecting manner, he absolutely
was the most indistinctive of them all. He had once brought her some
rare tea from the Chinese camp, and had taught her how to make it; he
had cautioned her against sitting under the trees at nightfall; he had
once taken off his coat to wrap around her. Really, if this were the
only evidence of devotion that could be shown, she was safe!

"Well," said Jessie, "it amuses you, I see."

Christie checked the smile that had been dimpling the cheek nearest
Jessie, and turned upon her the face of an elder sister.

"Tell me, have YOU noticed this extraordinary attention of Mr. Munroe to
me?"

"Candidly?" asked Jessie, seating herself comfortably on the table
sideways, and endeavoring, to pull her skirt over her little feet.
"Honest Injun?"

"Don't be idiotic, and, above all, don't be slangy! Of course,