its effect, though he was
mainly actuated by compassion and the monotony of his track-laying task.
He did not think the settlement, in which there were very few women, was
the kind of place in which she could comfortably remain, particularly if
her means were exhausted. Presently he met the livery-stable keeper
driving in his buggy and motioned to him to pull up.

"How much will you charge for the hire of the roan, to go to Drummond?"
he asked, and the man named his charge.

"I'll give you eight dollars now and the balance when I come back."

"No sir!" replied the other firmly. "You might fix up to stay there."

"Will an order on the railroad pay-clerk satisfy you?"

"It won't. If you want the horse, you must put the money down."

"Then I can't make the deal."

The man drove on, but Kermode was not to be daunted by such a difficulty;
besides, he had noticed Jim, the hired man, dawdling about the outside of
the stable. When the buggy was out of sight, he accosted him.

"I want the roan in half an hour," he said. "I see you have Mrs. Leaver's
saddle here, and as she's away, you had better put it on. I'm going to
take the lady you saw with me to Drummond."

"S'pose you have seen the boss about it?"

"You must have noticed me talking to him," Kermode replied curtly. "Bring
the horse along to Mrs. Jasper's as soon as you're ready."

Then he returned to the hotel and wrote a note which he gave the
bar-tender, instructing him to let the proprietor of the livery-stable
have it when he came in for dinner. After this he succeeded in borrowing
a small tent, and when he had supplied himself with provisions he hurried
toward the widow's shack. The horse was already there, and when he had
strapped on the folded tent and Miss Foster's bag he helped her to mount,
and set off, carrying his blankets and stores in a pack on his back. He
showed no sign of haste and chatted gaily, though he was anxious to get
out of the town as soon as possible, because he did not know when the
stable-keeper would return.

It was a clear morning; the girl looked brighter after her night's rest,
and the fresh air brought a fine color into her face. Kermode kept her
laughing with his light chatter, but he was nevertheless glad when they
reached the shadow of the pines, where they could travel faster without
attracting attention. After half an hour's rapid walking, he left the
trail, which ran on toward Drummond for a day's journey before it stoppe