behind her.

"Please don't tease the animals," Grant returned, in the same
impersonal tone which she had seen fit to employ--but his eyes
turned for a sidelong glance at her, although he appeared to be
watching the trout rise lazily to the insects skimming over the
surface of the water.

"I'm supposed to be nice to you--par-TIC-ularly nice--because you
need it most. I dare say you do, judging from what I've seen of
you. At any rate, I've promised. But I just want you to
understand that I'm not going to mean one single bit of it. I
don't like you--I can't endure you!--and if I'm nice, it will
just be because I've promised Aunt Phoebe. You're not to take my
politeness at its face value, for back of it I shall dislike you
all the time."

Grant's lips twitched, and there was a covert twinkle in his
eyes, though he looked around him with elaborate surprise.

"It's early in the day for mosquitoes," he drawled; "but I was
sure I heard one buzzing somewhere close."

"Aunt Phoebe ought to get a street roller to smooth your
manners," Evadna observed pointedly.

"Instead it's as if she hung her picture of a Christmas angel up
before the wolf's den, eh?" he suggested calmly, betraying his
Indian blood in the unconsciously symbolic form of expression.
"No doubt the wolf's nature will be greatly benefited--his teeth