"But if he put his money in with the idea of getting certain pickings?" "He didn't explain his intentions, and I made no promises," Vane answered dryly. "He'll get his dividends; that'll satisfy him." They rejoined the others, and when the white mists crept lower down from the heights above and the chill of the dew was in the air, Vane launched the canoe. "It's getting late, and there's a long run in front of us to-morrow," he informed his passengers. "The sloop will lie as still as if moored in a pond, and you'll have her all to yourselves. Carroll and I are going to camp ashore." He paddled them off to the boat, and coming back with some blankets cut a few armfuls of spruce twigs in a ravine and spread them out beside the fire. Then sitting down just clear of the scented smoke, he lighted his pipe and asked an abrupt question: "What do you think of Kitty Blake?" "Well," said Carroll cautiously, "I must confess that I've taken some interest in the girl; partly because you were obviously doing so. In a general way, what I noticed rather surprised me. It wasn't what I expected." "You smart folks are as often wrong as the rest of us. I suppose you looked for cold-blooded assurance, tempered by what one might call experienced coquetry?" "Something of the kind," Carroll agreed. "As you say, I was wrong. There are only two ways of explaining Miss Blake, and the first's the one that would strike most people. That is, she's acting a part, possibly with an object; holding her natural self in check, and doing it cleverly." Vane laughed scornfully. "I wouldn't have entertained that idea for five minutes." "Then," said Carroll, "there's the other explanation. It's simply that the girl's life hasn't affected her. Somehow she has kept fresh and wholesome." "There's no doubt of it," said Vane shortly. "You offered to help her in some way?" "I did; I don't know how you guessed it. I said I'd find her a situation. She wouldn't hear of it." "She was wise," said Carroll. "Vancouver isn't a very big place yet, and the girl has more sense than you have. What did you say?" "Nothing. You interrupted us. But I'm going to sleep." He rolled himself up in his blanket and lay down among the soft spruce twigs, but Carroll sat still in the darkness and smoked his pipe out. Then he glanced at his comrade, who lay still, breathing evenly. "No doubt you'll be considered fortunate," he said, apostrophizing him half aloud. "You've had power and responsibility thrust upon you. What will you make of them?" Then he, too, lay down, and only the soft splash of the tiny ripples broke the silence while the fire sank lower.