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I ain't kept yer waitin' longleast of all this yer sick stranger。
But you're looking pearter than you did。 You're wonderin' like ez
not where I ever saw ye before？〃 she continued； laughing。 〃Well；
I'll tell you。 Last week！ I'd kem over yer on a chance of seein'
Jenny Bradley； and while I was meanderin' down the veranda I saw
you lyin' back in your chair by the window drowned in sleep； like a
baby。 Lordy！ I mout hev won a pair o' gloves； but I reckoned you
were Loo's game； and not mine。〃
The slightly constrained laugh which went round the table after
Miss Minty's speech was due quite as much to the faint flush that
had accented Mainwaring's own smile as to the embarrassing remark
itself。 Mrs。 Bradley and Miss Macy exchanged rapid glances。
Bradley； who alone retained his composure； with a slight flicker of
amusement in the corner of his eye and nostril； said quickly： 〃You
see； Mainwaring； how nature stands ready to help your convalescence
at every turn。 If Miss Minty had only followed up her healing
opportunity； your cure would have been complete。〃
〃Ye mout hev left some o' that pretty talk for HIM to say；〃 said
Minty； taking up her knife and fork with a slight shrug； 〃and you
needn't call me MISS Minty either； jest because there's kempeny
present。〃
〃I hope you won't look upon me as company； Minty； or I shall be
obliged to call you 'Miss' too；〃 said Mainwaring； unexpectedly
regaining his usual frankness。
Bradley's face brightened； Miss Minty raised her black eyes from
her plate with still broader appreciation。
〃There's nothin' mean about that；〃 she said； showing her white
teeth。 〃Well； what's YOUR first name？〃
〃Not as pretty as yours； I'm afraid。 It's Frank。〃
〃No it ain't； it's Francis！ You reckon to be Sir Francis some
day；〃 she said gravely。 〃You can't play any Frank off on me。 You
wouldn't do it on HER；〃 she added； indicating Louise with her
elbow。
A momentous silence followed。 The particular form that Minty's
vulgarity had taken had not been anticipated by the two other
women。 They had； not unreasonably； expected some original audacity
or gaucherie from the blacksmith's daughter； which might astonish
yet amuse their guest； and condone for the situation forced upon
them。 But they were not prepared for a playfulness that involved
themselves in a ridiculous indiscretion。 Mrs。 Bradley's eyes
sought her husband's meaningly； Louise's pretty mouth hardened。
Luckily the cheerful cause of it suddenly jumped up from the table；
and saying that the stranger was starving； insisted upon bringing a
dish from the other side and helping him herself plentifully。
Mainwaring rose gallantly to take the dish from her hand； a slight
scuffle ensued which ended in the young man being forced down in
his chair by the pressure of Minty's strong plump hand on his
shoulder。 〃There；〃 she said； 〃ye kin mind your dinner now； and I
reckon we'll give the others a chance to chip into the conversation；〃
and at once applied herself to the plate before her。
The conversation presently became general； with the exception that
Minty； more or less engrossed by professional anxiety in the
quality of the dinner and occasional hurried visits to the kitchen；
briefly answered the few polite remarks which Mainwaring felt
called upon to address to her。 Nevertheless； he was conscious；
malgre her rallying allusions to Miss Macy； that he felt none of
the vague yet half pleasant anxiety with which Louise was beginning
to inspire him。 He felt at ease in Minty's presence； and believed；
rightly or wrongly； that she understood him as well as he
understood her。 And there were certainly points in common between
his two hostesses and their humbler though proud dependent。 The
social evolution of Mrs。 Bradley and Louise Macy from some previous
Minty was neither remote nor complete； the self…sufficient
independence； ease； and quiet self…assertion were alike in each。
The superior position was still too recent and accidental for
either to resent or criticise qualities that were common to both。
At least； this was what he thought when not abandoning himself to
the gratification of a convalescent appetite； to the presence of
two pretty women； the sympathy of a genial friend； the healthy
intoxication of the white sunlight that glanced upon the pine
walls； the views that mirrored themselves in the open windows； and
the pure atmosphere in which The Lookout seemed to swim。 Wandering
breezes of balm and spice lightly stirred the flowers on the table；
and seemed to fan his hair and forehead with softly healing breath。
Looking up in an interval of silence； he caught Bradley's gray eyes
fixed upon him with a subdued light of amusement and affection； as
of an elder brother regarding a schoolboy's boisterous appetite at
some feast。 Mainwaring laid down his knife and fork with a
laughing color； touched equally by Bradley's fraternal kindliness
and the consciousness of his gastronomical powers。
〃Hang it； Bradley； look here！ I know my appetite's disgraceful；
but what can a fellow do？ In such air； with such viands and such
company！ It's like the bees getting drunk on Hybla and Hymettus；
you know。 I'm not responsible！〃
〃It's the first square meal I believe you've really eaten in six
months；〃 said Bradley； gravely。 〃I can't understand why your
doctor allowed you to run down so dreadfully。〃
〃I reckon you ain't as keerful of yourself； you Britishers； ez us；〃
said Minty。 〃Lordy！ Why there's Pop invests in more patent
medicines in one day than you have in two weeks； and he'd make two
of you。 Mebbe your folks don't look after you enough。〃
〃I'm a splendid advertisement of what YOUR care and your medicines
have done；〃 said Mainwaring； gratefully； to Mrs。 Bradley； 〃and if
you ever want to set up a 'Cure' here； I'm ready with a ten…page
testimonial。〃
〃Have a care； Mainwaring；〃 said Bradley； laughing； 〃that the ladies
don't take you at your word。 Louise and Jenny have been doing
their best for the last year to get me to accept a flattering offer
from a Sacramento firm to put up a hotel for tourists on the site
of The Lookout。 Why； I believe that they have already secretly in
their hearts concocted a flaming prospectus of 'Unrivalled Scenery'
and 'Health…giving Air；' and are looking forward to Saturday night
hops on the piazza。〃
〃Have you really； though？〃 said Mainwaring； gazing from the one to
the other。
〃We should certainly see more company than we do now； and feel a
little less out of the world；〃 said Louise； candidly。 〃There are
no neighbors hereI mean the people at the Summit are not；〃 she
added； with a slight glance towards Minty。
〃And Mr。 Bradley would find it more profitablenot to say more
suitable to a man of his positionthan this wretched saw…mill and
timber business；〃 said Mrs。 Bradley； decidedly。
Mainwaring was astounded； was it possible they considered it more
dignified for a lawyer to keep a hotel than a saw…mill？ Bradley；
as if answering what was passing in his mind； said mischievously；
〃I'm not sure； exactly； what my position is； my dear； and I'm
afraid I've declined the hotel on business principles。 But； by the
way； Mainwaring； I found a letter at the mill this morning from Mr。
Richardson。 He is about to pay us the distinguished honor of
visiting The Lookout； solely on your account； my dear fellow。〃
〃But I wrote him that I was much better； and it wasn't necessary
for him to come；〃 said Mainwaring。
〃He makes an excuse of some law business with me。 I suppose he
considers the mere fact of his taking the trouble to come here； all
the way from San Francisco； a sufficient honor to justify any
absence of formal invitation；〃 said Bradley； smiling。
〃But he's onlyI mean he's my father's banker；〃 said Mainwaring；
correcting himself； 〃andyou don't keep a hotel。〃
〃Not yet；〃 returned Bradley； with a mischievous glance at the two
women； 〃but The Lookout is elastic； and I dare say we can manage to
put him up。〃
A silence ensued。 It seemed as if some shadow； or momentary
darkening of the brilliant atmosphere； some film across the mirror…
like expanse of the open windows； or misty dimming of their
wholesome light； had arisen to their elevation。 Mainwaring felt
that he was looking forward with unreasoning indignation and
uneasiness to this impending interruption of their idyllic life；
Mrs。 Bradley and Louise； who had become a little more constrained
and formal under Minty's freedom； were less sympathetic； even the
irrepressible Minty appeared absorbed in the responsibilities of
the dinner。
Bradley alone preserved his usual patient good…humor。 〃We'll take
our coffee on the veranda； and the ladies will join us by and by；
Mainwaring； besides； I don't know that I can allow you； as an
invalid； to go entirely through Minty's bountiful menu at present。
You shall have the sweets