a sign of
acquiescence and they went back up the hill. At the top he marked a new
line for the next day's sport, and then as the sun was getting low the
party started home by the old stone-boat road. Near the bottom they
overtook the Askews, and one or two others walking at their horses' heads
as they cautiously descended a steep pitch. Grace noted that although
they were not bringing much peat there was a risk of the sledges running
down upon the teams.

"You have not got on very fast," she said to Peter.

"If we're no verra careful, we'll gan faster than we like."

"I suppose that's why you're only taking half a load?"

"Just that," Peter agreed. "It wadn't suit for load to run ower the team.
Better safe than sorry, though it's a terrible loss o' time."

"Then, why don't you look for an easier way down?"

"There's only the oad green road. Fellside's ower steep for horses."

"Well, if I can think of a better way I'll tell you," Grace replied,
smiling, and hurried on after the others.

They left her at the Tarnside gate and she stopped abruptly as she went
up the drive. It had obviously taken Askew a long time to bring down half
a load because of the risk to his horses; but she had found a better
plan. It was not needful to use horses, after they had pulled the sledges
up. The latter could be heavily loaded and left to run down alone. She
must tell Kit Askew when she saw him next, but she did not reflect that
it was curious she meant to tell Kit and not Peter.

CHAPTER IX

THE PLAN WORKS

Although the air was bracingly keen the afternoon was calm and the
scattered clouds scarcely moved across the sky. The snow in the valley
shone a delicate gray, and soft lights and shadows rested on the hills. A
peak that rose above the edge of the lofty moor gleamed pale-yellow
against a background of deep blue. Grace noted the tranquil beauty of the
landscape, but hesitated now and then as she climbed the steep road out
of the dale.

She had come to meet Kit Askew, and now she reviewed her reasons for
doing so they did not look very sound. In fact, if Kit approved the plan
she meant to suggest, she would perhaps be meddling unjustifiably with
her father's business. After all, however, it was really not his
business. He had allowed himself to be persuaded to help Hayes and the
latter's accomplice, Bell, without quite understanding what this
implied. Her plan would prevent his doing an injustice he did not really