"It hurts--a little," confessed the girl. "But it is of no consequence. Mrs. Latimer's dinner must not be marred by my blundering in the dark. I should have come by the walk." "You are thoughtful." Danvers looked again at the girl, and wished for the first time that he could use the small talk of society. Politics was debarred from the table conversation, but when they were again in the parlors Miss Blair turned to Danvers. "Aren't you the senator from Chouteau?" "Not yet," smiled Philip. "Oh, but you will be. My brother says so." "I'm glad some one is optimistic. I'm afraid I shall not be the deciding party." "Who will be our United States senator?" "That is hard to tell. So many straws sticking out of the tangle make it difficult to prophesy which will be pulled out." "Your party is so split up this year," said the girl. "Which wing are you affiliated with?" This was not "small talk," as Danvers recognized with an amused feeling that he had not expected a lady to know anything outside his preconceived idea of feminine chat. "Montana politics have no wings," he quibbled. Miss Blair laughed. "Really, haven't you decided which of the candidates you'll support for United States senator?" She ran over the names. "That's rather a leading question, isn't it?" evaded Philip. "If a _man_ asked me, I'd give him no satisfaction. I will say to you, though, that I am going to do my best to send some one to Washington who is pledged to place community interests before his own." "I did not mean to ask impertinent questions, or to cross-examine," quavered Miss Blair. "One who finds out anything from you must have taken his thirty-third degree in Masonry. I am not trying my hand at lobbying," she added as an afterthought. "You mustn't think that. I'm just interested in the political situation. And brother Charlie won't talk politics with me any more than he'll recount his experiences as a freighter." "Charlie? Brother Charlie?" A dim memory revived. "I beg your pardon! Is Scar Faced Charlie your brother?" "Yes. Didn't you know?" "Then you are the little girl----" "Winifred. I thought you didn't recognize me, though I knew you at once. But you would scarcely remember me, while I--you know you saved my life." "And to think that you have so changed--grown up! And that you are here! I remember asking for you when Charlie was in Fort Benton, shortly after I went there to live; but you were away at school. I don't recall ever hearing your brother called Blair, though as a matter of fact I wasn't thinking of your name. I was thinking of you!" "What a pretty speech! And Mrs. Latimer is always telling what a woman-hater you are!" "I was not aware that I was of enough importance to be the subject of Mrs. Latimer's strictures," replied Danvers, his brow contracting. "But I believe I do have that reputation," he added, and smiled into her unbelieving brown eyes.