"But that's the trouble," she interrupted, still very patiently. She saw that she had struck the right chord in appealing to his chivalry, and in conceding as much as she had by the reference to their old comradeship. She had never liked him better than she did now; but she certainly did not love him. She had directed the talk safely into tranquil channels, and he was growing happier, and, if he had known it, relieved besides. He wanted to be nearer to her than any one else, and he was touched by her declaration that she had needed him, and that he had failed her. "But sometime--you will not forget--" "Oh, sometime! we are not going to bother about that now. Just at present it's getting too cool for the open air and we must go inside." "But is it all right? You will pardon my offenses, won't you? And you won't let any one else--" "Oh, you must be careful, and very good," she answered lightly, and gathered up her skirts in her hand. "We must go in, and," she looked down at him, laughing, "there must be a smile on the face of the tiger!" A fire of pinyon logs, brought from the Colorado hills, blazed in the wide fireplace at the end of the hall, and Evelyn and Warry joined the circle which had formed about it. "Has the moon gone down?" asked Captain Wheelock, as a place was made for them. "Not necessarily," said Raridan coolly. "Anybody but you would know that the moon isn't due yet." "It was getting cool outside," said Evelyn, finding a seat in the ingle-nook. "Oh!" exclaimed the captain significantly, and looking hard at Raridan. "Poor Mr. Raridan! The weather bureau has hardly reported a single frost thus far, and yet--and yet!" The others laughed, and Evelyn looked at him reproachfully. "You might try the weather conditions yourself," said Raridan easily, wishing to draw the fire to himself. "But at your age a man must be careful of the night air."