of his own responsibility towards the father of
his charge? If the affair was more than skin deep, if it had reached a
serious stage on both sides, why they could both very well afford to
wait; Dick until he had consulted his father, and so until his--
Greenoak's--charge was at an end. Then he could return, on his own
responsibility, and if he succeeded in winning this girl, why in the
thinker's estimation he would be very lucky, as we have said. That
would be the only straight and satisfactory solution of the difficulty,
decided Greenoak.

And towards such solution the Commandant's letter seemed now to open a
way. If he read Dick's character aright, the prospect of a certain
amount of adventure would irresistibly appeal. They would respond to
the invitation and join his old friend; and he would show his charge
some of the phases of border life, as in any case he had intended
eventually to do.

"Well, Mr Greenoak, and have you decided the knotty point yet? It must
be a very knotty one." And the speaker's winsome face, framed within an
ample and snowy _kapje_, sparkled with sheer light-heartedness.

"That's just what I believe I have done," he answered, looking up at
her. He had of course been aware of her approach, but he was one of
those who can concentrate their powers of thought independently of
external distractions.

"It must have been an extremely knotty one," she went on, her glance
resting on the sheet still grasped in the brown muscular hand, "because
for nearly an hour you might as well have been a statue."

"Does a statue fill and light a pipe two or three times an hour, Miss
Brandon?" he asked drily.

"You've got me there," she laughed. "But you were so absorbed that you
don't seem to have noticed that the shade has gone off this side of the
shed long ago. Why, the sun's coming down full upon you."

"Is it? Why, so it is," he said, rising. "I suppose I didn't notice it
because I'm so used to it. Lovely morning though."

"Isn't it? Well, I want you to do me a favour, Mr Greenoak. Will
you?"

"Certainly. I shall be delighted."

"But you don't know what it is yet."

"I know that you would not ask me, or anybody, to do what is absurd or
impossible."

"Thanks, that's quite pretty, really it is. I thought you up-country
men never went in for making compliments."

"Mayn't we tell the truth? That is only straightforwardness, you know."

"There is another compliment," laughed the