She amused herself listening to the different comments on her cousin’s action. She noticed, for the first time, how such unlikely phrases as “the young fool,” or “well, if that isn’t the darndest,” could be made to express a very poignant form of masculine admiration. She chuckled softly to herself: “it certainly was the darndest,” she repeated, deriving no little pleasure from the unaccustomed form of words. The barn was now seen to be doomed. The flames burst out of the roof, licking it up. There was nothing more to do, except to keep neighboring buildings wet, and as there was no wind the danger to these was not great. Seeing Mr. Overton standing alone, Nellie drew near to him to ask if the loss of the farmer was serious. No, Overton thought not. The barn was old, and fortunately there was no live-stock in it. “Except,” he added with his crooked Yankee smile, “that puppy your cousin pulled out.” “I am afraid Bob was very foolhardy,” Nellie replied, not quite ingenuously. Overton laughed. “Why, so they are all saying,” he answered. “But I don’t know. The little girl says she had promised the old bitch to preserve one puppy when all the others were drowned. A lady’s promise is a sacred thing, isn’t it, Miss Nellie? Oughtn’t a gentleman to risk his life to help her keep her word of honor?” He looked at her whimsically. “I don’t think a gentleman need trouble himself to do anything that you don’t do, Mr. Overton,” she answered, “and I notice you did not rush in.” “I? Oh, dear no. I am too old and stiff, but if I had been a romantic young giant of twenty-eight or nine----” “You flatter him,” said Nellie dryly. “Bob is thirty-five.” Overton looked at her gravely. “Impossible,” he said. “But of course you know. All I can say is that he is the youngest-looking man for his age that I know. I must ask him how he manages it.” “Perhaps by avoiding all his responsibilities,” said Nellie, and regretted her speech the next instant. Her position was really absurd. She seemed to be equally annoyed at those who praised her cousin and at those who blamed him. Whatever was said of him stirred her to contradiction. The lights and shadows cast by the fire were very sharp, so that Nellie, standing behind Overton, was almost invisible when a little later Vickers himself came up. He was quite hoarse with shouting, and was enjoying himself immensely. “It’s a fine sight,” said Overton. “What? Oh, yes, bully. I’ve had the time of my life. But I am afraid it’s almost over.” Nellie moved forward. She had not forgotten Emmons’s perfidy, and she said: “Will you tell me when you are going, Bob? I should like to go home with you.” “You here, Nellie? Of course I’ll take you home any time you say. Has Emmons deserted you? I thought I saw him here earlier.” “Yes, I saw him, too, looking on.” “The same occupation he was engaged in when I saw him. In fact of all natural-born, first-rate spectators----”