Bob, who joined the party seated around Mr.Bowers and a table set with cake, a decanter, and glasses, completed the group.

Emboldened by the presence of the tall Cynthia and his glimpse of her previous literary attitude, Mr.Bowers resolved to make one more attempt.
"I suppose these yer young ladies sometimes go to the wood, too ?" As his eye rested on Cynthia, she replied:-- "Oh, yes." "I reckon on account of the purty shadows down in the brush, and the soft light, eh?
and all that ?" he continued, with a playful manner but a serious accession of color.
"Why, the woods belong to us.

It's mar's property!" broke in Eunice with a flash of teeth.
"Well, Lordy, I wanter know!" said Mr.Bowers, in some astonishment.
"Why, that's right in my line, too! I've been sightin' timber all along here, and that's how I dropped in on yer mar." Then, seeing a look of eagerness light up the faces of Bob and Eunice, he was encouraged to make the most of his opportunity.

"Why, ma'am," he went on, cheerfully, "I reckon you're holdin' that wood at a pretty stiff figger, now." "Why ?" asked Mrs.Delatour, simply.
Mr.Bowers delivered a wink at Bob and Eunice, who were still watching him with anxiety.

"Well, not on account of the actool timber, for the best of it ain't sound," he said, "but on account of its bein' famous! Everybody that reads that pow'ful pretty poem about it in the 'Excelsior Magazine' wants to see it.