THE ORDEAL 



him out, I thought what a prize he 

 would be to any one as her helpmeet 

 for life. Now I know that I love him 

 as I never cared for any man before. 

 And yet " — with a fluttering sigh of a 

 laugh — " I suppose he would not 

 look at me ! " 



In the meantime, while this con- 

 versation was going on between Mrs. 

 Clay and her daughter, in the neigh- 

 bouring camp Jack Austin and di- 

 vert were, by way of smoking to- 

 gether, in the latter's tent. I have 

 never heard who first called them^^the 

 Devil" and the ^'Deep Sea." Though 

 unlike each other in very many 

 ways, they were an unusually good 

 pair of friends. If you fell out with 

 one — which was not an easy thing 

 9» 



