one carried off in this summary manner."

"Wal, if you fetch pretty maids out hyar you can't expect nothin'
else. Why, thet black-eyed little French girl, with her white
skin an' pretty airs an' smiles an' shrugs, she had the cowboys
crazy. It'll be wuss with the next one."

"Oh dear!" sighed Madeline.

"An' as fer impressin' Ambrose, I reckon I can tell you how to do
thet. Jest give it to him good an' say you're goin' to fire him.
That'll fix Ambrose, an' mebbe scare the other boys fer a spell."

"Very well, Stillwell, bring Ambrose in to see me, and tell
Christine to wait in my room."

It was a handsome debonair, bright-eyed cowboy that came
tramping into Madeline's presence. His accustomed shyness and
awkwardness had disappeared in an excited manner. He was a happy
boy. He looked straight into Madeline's face as if he expected
her to wish him joy. And Madeline actually found that expression
trembling to her lips. She held it back until she could be
severe. But Madeline feared she would fail of much severity.
Something warm and sweet, like a fragrance, had entered the room
with Ambrose.

"Ambrose, what have you done?" she asked.

"Miss Hammond, I've been and gone and got married," replied Ambrose,
his words tumbling over one another. His eyes snapped, and there