a right to ask you
questions."

She put her hand up against the smooth white trunk of the tree near
which she stood. She seemed to grow a little taller.

"Oh, have you? I don't think I quite understand how you got any such
right. And you like to be questioned yourself?"

She had him there, had him rather cruelly, though he was not aware of the
weapon of her suspicion. She felt a little ashamed when she saw him
wince. He slapped his gloves against his leather chaps, looking at her
with hot, sulky eyes.

"Oh, well... I beg your pardon.... Listen--" He flung his ill-humor aside
and was sweet and cool again like the night. "Are you going to take the
little horse?"

"I don't know."

His face shadowed and fell so expressively, so utterly, that she melted.

"Oh," he stammered, half-turning from her, "I was sure. I brought him
up."

This completed the melting process. "Of course I'll take him!" she cried.
"Where is he?"

She inspected the beautiful little animal by the moonlight. She even let
Hilliard mount her on the shining glossy back and rode slowly about
clinging to his mane, ecstatic over the rippling movement under her.

"He's like a rocking-chair," said Cosme. "You can ride him all day and
not feel it." He looked about the silver meadow. "Good feed here, isn't
there? I bet he'll stay. If not, I'll get him for you."

Sheila slipped down. They left the horse to graze.

"Yes, it's first-rate feed. Do you think Miss Blake will let me
keep him?"

His answer was entirely lost by a sudden outbreak from the dogs.

"Good Lord!" said Cosme, making himself heard, "what a breed! Isn't that
awful! Why does she keep the brutes? Isn't she scared they'll eat her?"

Sheila shook her head. Presently the tumult quieted down. "They're afraid
of her," she said. "She has a dreadful whip. She likes to bully them. I
think she's rather cruel. But she does love Berg; she says he's the only
real dog in the pack."

"Was Berg the one on the bearskin inside?"

"Yes."

"He's sure a beauty. But I don't like him. He has wolf eyes. See
here--you're shivering. I've kept you out here in the cold. I'll go.
Good-night. Thank you for keeping the horse. Will you come down to see my
house? I built it"--he drawled the words--"for you"--and added after a
tingling moment--"to see, ma'am."

This experiment in words sent Sheila to the house, her hand crushed and
aching with his good-bye grasp, her heart jumping with a queer fright.

Miss