"He quite overwhelms one," Natalie agreed. "Back in New York, he's been sending me American Beauties every week for more than a year. It's his princely way." She colored slightly, despite the easy frankness of her manner. "Oh, he's always doing something like that," Dan informed them, whereupon his sister exclaimed: "You see, Natalie! The man is a viper. If he let his beard grow I'm sure we'd see it was blue." "You shall have an opportunity of judging," came O'Neil's voice from behind them, and he entered with hands outstretched, smiling at their surprise. When he had expressed his pleasure at Natalie's presence and had bidden both her and Eliza welcome to Omar, he explained: "I've just covered eighteen miles on a railroad tricycle and my back is broken. The engines were busy, but I came, anyhow, hoping to arrive before the steamer. Now what is this I hear about my beard?" It was Eliza's turn to blush, and she outdid Natalie. "They were raving about your gallantry," said Dan with all a brother's ruthlessness, "until I told them it was merely a habit of mind with you; then Sis called you a Bluebeard." O'Neil smiled, stroking his stubbly chin. "You see it's only gray." "I--don't see," said Eliza, still flushing furiously. "You would if I continued to let it grow." "Hm-m! I think, myself, it's a sort of bluish gray," said Dan. "You are still working miracles," Natalie told O'Neil, an hour later, while he was showing his visitors the few sights of Omar--"miracles of kindness, as usual." Dan and his sister were following at a distance, arm in arm and chattering like magpies. "No, no! That cottage is nothing. Miss Appleton had to have some place to stop." "This all seems like magic." Natalie paused and looked over the busy little town. "And to think you have done it in a year." "It was not I who did it; the credit belongs to those 'boys' of whom I told you. They are all here, by the way--Parker, McKay, Mellen, Sheldon, 'Doc' Gray--he has the hospital, you know." "And Mr. Slater?" "Oh, we couldn't exist without 'Happy Tom'! No, the only miracle about all this is the loyalty that has made it possible. It is that which has broken all records in railroad-building; that's what has pushed our tracks forward until we're nearly up to one of Nature's real miracles. You shall see those glaciers, one of these days. Sometimes I wonder if even the devotion of those men will carry us through the final test. But--you shall meet them all, to-night--my whole family." "I can't. The ship leaves this afternoon." "I've arranged to send you to Hope in my motor-boat, just as Mr. Gordon sent me on my way a year ago. You will stay with the Appletons to-night and help at the house-warming, then Dan will take you on in the morning. Women are such rare guests at Omar that we refuse to part with them. You agree?" "How can I refuse? Your word seems to be law here. I'll send word to mother by the ship that I am detained by royal decree."