dn't
want Mrs. Creighton to see her. I don't suppose Osborn would be pleased
to know his daughter and you went for moonlight walks on the fells."

Kit knew Osborn would not like it, and since the dales folk are fond of
gossip saw he must stop the story going round.

"I had not gone for a walk with Miss Osborn. I met her as I came down
from the moor. She didn't know I was coming."

"So she wasn't waiting for you?" Janet remarked, with a hint of mockery.
She stopped, and putting her hand on Kit's arm, pushed him nearer the
hedgerow as a man and woman came round a neighboring corner.

Kit was annoyed, but he waited and watched the people as they passed. The
shadow was not very dark and he thought the woman give him a curious
glance. He knew her and imagined that she knew him. When the people went
through a gate Janet laughed.

"That was very unlucky, Kit! Old Nanny's fond of talking; I'm afraid your
character is gone."

Kit frowned. He did not see much humor in the situation, although Janet
was amused.

"Oh," she said, "you are dull! I expect you couldn't be nice if you
tried. But we were talking about Miss Osborn. You were not riding on the
stone-boat when you met her. I don't suppose you could have stopped it."

"No," said Kit, shortly, "I was not."

"But I saw you and somebody else hardly a minute after the stone-boat hit
the wall."

"You saw _me_."

"I did," said Janet. "The snow was sticking to your clothes as if you
had fallen, and you looked angry when Mrs. Creighton put the lantern
on the wall." She paused for a moment, and went on: "I begin to see;
you did come down on the stone-boat and Miss Osborn came with you. You
were both thrown off by the upset at the wall. Well, if you persuaded
her to join you in an adventure like that, it looks as if you were
pretty good friends."

Kit said nothing. In a sense, Miss Osborn had persuaded him, and it was
difficult to explain that both had really given way to a rash impulse.
Somewhat to his surprise, Janet gently touched his arm.

"Be careful, Kit! I wouldn't like to see you hurt. Miss Osborn's friends
are not your kind of folk; she only wants to amuse herself when they are
not about."

"That's ridiculous," Kit declared. "Miss Osborn is not amusing
herself with me."

"Perhaps you ought to know," Janet rejoined with some dryness. "Now I
come to think of it, you're not always very bright. Anyhow, when she
finds the game tiresome, she'll soon get rid of you