If there were few lines along which the construction engineer could
shine he at least appeared to advantage as the host of his friend,
since the ordering of a dinner is peculiarly a gentleman's matter, and
even the modest complement of wine which the occasion demanded, Glover
toasted in a way that revealed the boyish loyalty between the two men.
The spirit of it was so contagious that neither the doctor nor Gertrude
made scruple of adding their congratulations. But the moments were
fleeting and Glover, next day, could recall them up to one scene only.
When Gertrude found she could not, even after a brave effort, ride with
her back to the engine, and accepted so graciously Mr. Blood's offer to
change seats, it brought her beside Glover; after that his memory
failed.
In the morning he felt miserably overdone, as at Sleepy Cat a man might
after running a preliminary half way to heaven. Moreover, when they
parted he had, he remembered, undertaken to dine the following evening
at the Springs.
When he entered the apartments of the Pittsburg party at six o'clock,
Mrs. Whitney reproached him for his absence during their month at Glen
Tarn, and in Mrs. Whitney's manner, peremptorily.
"I'm sure we've missed seeing everything worth while about here," she
complained. Her annoyance put Glover in good humor. Marie met him
with a gentler reproach. "And we go next week!"
"But you've seen everything, I know," he protested, answering both of
them.
"Whether we have or not, Mr. Glover should be penalized for his
indifference," suggested Marie. Doctor Lanning came in. "Compel him
to show us something we haven't seen around the lake," suggested the
doctor. "That he cannot do; then we have only to decide on his
punishment."
"Oh, yes, I want to be on that jury," said Gertrude, entering softly in
black.
"But is this Pittsburg justice?" objected Glover, rising at the spell
of her eyes to the raillery. "Shouldn't I have a try at the scenery
end of the proposition before sentence is demanded?"
"Justify quickly, then," threatened Marie, as they started for the
dining-room; "we are not trifling."
"Of course you've been here a month," began Glover, when the party were
seated.
"Yes."
"Out every day."
"Yes."
"The guides have all your money?"
"Yes."
"Then I stake everything on a single throw----"
"A professional," interjected Doctor Lanning.
"Only desperate gamesters stake all on a single throw," said Gertrude
warningly.
"I am a desperate gamester," said Glover, "and now for it. Have you
seen the Devil's Gap?"
A chorus of derision answered.
"The very first day--the very first trip!" cried Mrs. Whitney, raising
her tone one note above every other protest.
"And you staked all on so wretched a chance?" exclaimed Gertrude.
"Why, Devil's Gap is the stock feature of every guide, good, bad, and
indifferent, at the Springs."