She won over her younger sister, Jeanie, to her plans, and our acquaintance was part of a regular put-up scheme.

Jeanie was a soft, good-tempered, good-hearted girl, with beautiful fair hair, blue eyes, and the prettiest mouth in the world.

She was as good as she was pretty, and would have worked away without grumbling in that dismal little shop from that day to this, if she'd been let alone.

She was only just turned seventeen.

She soon got to like Jim a deal too well for her own good, and used to listen to his talk about the country across the border, and such simple yarns as he could tell her, poor old Jim! until she said she'd go and live with him under a salt-bush if he'd come back and marry her after Christmas.