A Man of Two Countries Part 17

"Here comes Mrs. Latimer." Miss Blair rose and advanced to meet her friend. "I see by your eyes, Eva," she said gaily, "that I have to placate you for monopolizing all the men in sight."

Mrs. Latimer laughed, and the circle widened to admit her.

"You are talking of politics," she accused, lazily. "Either that or of Fort Macleod."

"Madam," the doctor affected remorse, "we were talking of politics. But when you burst upon our enchanted vision, as beautiful as when you dazzled us sixteen----"

"Oh, don't!" shuddered Eva. "Why--why will men be so exact as to dates?

Why not say 'some years ago'?" She looked around rebelliously. "I will not grow old, even if you, dear doctor, have silvery hair, and Arthur's is growing thin, and Mr. Blair--well, I'll admit the years have dealt kindly with Charlie and Mr. Danvers."

"And with you, dear," added her husband, loyally.

"How do you like my gown?" asked Eva, turning to Miss Blair as the men began to talk of other subjects.

"It's lovely! You are so artistic! It must please your husband to have you so perfectly gowned."

"Oh, Arthur--as for one's husband, I simply can't imagine dressing for one man."

"I can," breathed the girl, her thoughts afield. But the sentiment was lost upon Eva.

"If I lived nine miles from nowhere I would dress and walk among the cow corrals or on the range for the cowboys--if there were no other men to admire me!"

"You say such dreadful things," Winifred answered, gently, "but I know you do not mean them."

"But I do!" wilfully.

"I have grown away from the East," the doctor was saying, when the ladies again listened. "I want more room than the crowded cities can give.

"'Room, room to turn 'round in, To breathe and be free.'

"I fancy the Puritans wanted physical as well as religious freedom, if the truth were known." He mused; then suddenly:

"How can you make one who has never experienced it _feel the West_?"

"You can't," laughed Latimer. "I tried once, but my companion looked bored, and I stopped. 'Oh, go on,' he said, politely; '_you_ are interested!'"

When the merriment had subsided, Eva exclaimed:

"I'm sick and tired of the West! I want to live in New York, Was.h.i.+ngton, abroad--anywhere but Montana!"

"I wish that we might, dear," said the judge, patiently; "perhaps we can some day."

"By the way," remarked Eva, her thoughts flying inconsequently to another subject, "I've promised to read a paper on 'The Judiciary of Montana' before our club to-morrow. Tell me all about it, Arthur, and I'll write the essay this evening." She looked at the group in surprise.

What had she said to raise such shouts?

As soon as her husband could speak he wiped his eyes.

"It's a pretty big subject for me to discuss now," he said; "but I'll write something. That will be better than confusing your mind with it.

These club-women," he went on indulgently, addressing the others, "are so fervid--so much in earnest."

"Are you a club-woman, too?" the doctor asked Winifred, and Danvers waited her reply.

"I used to be," dolefully. "But I am a renegade, or a degenerate. I was allowed to join the cla.s.sic circle of a Dante Club, and for two years we (perhaps I'd better say I) agonized over the prescribed study--the course was sent out by the university. But when the third year arrived I wearied of well-doing. I was horrid, I know; but the subject was remote as to time, and dead as to issues. I like live topics, real issues--Montana politics, for instance."

"You might have joined the Current Events Club," reproached Mrs.

Latimer. "To be sure, it's sometimes hard to find topics for the next meeting, but we get along. Club work broadens our minds and widens our sphere," she concluded, with a pretty air of triumph.

"And when topics fail--to write about," put in Blair, "you can talk. You ladies always find enough to talk about!"

"Why, Charlie Blair! You're just as horrid as you used to be!" responded Eva, hotly.

"Didn't I hear something about one lady's stabbing to death another lady's imported hat, just on account of too much talk at one of the club meetings?" Blair was persistent.

"That story about the hat has been grossly exaggerated! It is nothing but gossip."

"'Current Events,' too," murmured Charlie, properly deprecatory.

Not long afterwards Danvers made the first move toward breaking up the group.

"Must you be going?" Winifred rose also. "I suppose I shall not see you again before the a.s.sembly meets. You'll be sure to be here then, as senator from Chouteau."

"Thank you for your optimism. May I call?"

"Certainly. I should feel hurt if you didn't. We are friends of many years' standing, you know."

Never before had he asked to call upon a lady. The importunity had always been on the other side.

Late in the evening the doctor came to Danvers' room for the good-night call; but the talk was wholly of Judge Latimer's interests.

"I'm afraid that Arthur will have a hard pull," regretted the old friend, "but we will do all we can for him. I've had a telegram calling me back to Fort Benton, and must leave on the midnight train."

Danvers walked to the little depot, a mile from the city proper, with his friend, and after the train pulled out he again thought of Winifred.

As he pa.s.sed, on his way back to town, the huge piles of loose rock that the miners had left in their sluicing for gold in bygone days, his thoughts followed the girl back into the long years since he had first met her on the _Far West_--a child eager for sympathy. It was odd that he had never seen her in all that time--the years when he had unconsciously longed for friends.h.i.+p, and the sight of a woman's face--a white face. The rings from his cigar melted around him, softening his face until it took on the boyish fairness of youth.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Chapter IV

The State Republican Convention

The evening before the convention found Judge Latimer at the club in conference with his friends. His nomination seemed doubtful, yet there was a possibility that he might win, and Danvers was working hard and hopefully.

The Honorable William Moore had arrived from b.u.t.te that day, and as he greeted various members of the club, watched for a chance to approach Judge Latimer.