had
never smiled like that; he was sure of it.

It had been a happy day. Daylight had met her on the back-road from
Berkeley, and they had had hours together. It was only now, with the
day drawing to a close and with them approaching the gate of the road
to Berkeley, that he had broached the important subject.

She began her answer to his last contention, and he listened gratefully.

"But suppose, just suppose, that the reasons I have given are the only
ones?--that there is no question of my not wanting to know you?"

"Then I'd go on urging like Sam Scratch," he said quickly. "Because,
you see, I've always noticed that folks that incline to anything are
much more open to hearing the case stated. But if you did have that
other reason up your sleeve, if you didn't want to know me, if--if,
well, if you thought my feelings oughtn't to be hurt just because you
had a good job with me..." Here, his calm consideration of a
possibility was swamped by the fear that it was an actuality, and he
lost the thread of his reasoning. "Well, anyway, all you have to do is
to say the word and I'll clear out.

"And with no hard feelings; it would be just a case of bad luck for me.
So be honest, Miss Mason, please, and tell me if that's the reason--I
almost got a hunch that it is."

She glanced up at him, her eyes abruptly and slightly moist, half with
hurt, half with anger.

"Oh, but that isn't fair," she cried. "You give me the choice of lying
to you and hurting you in order to protect myself by getting rid of
you, or of throwing away my protection by telling you the truth, for
then you, as you said yourself, would stay and urge."

Her cheeks were flushed, her lips tremulous, but she continued to look
him frankly in the eyes.

Daylight smiled grimly with satisfaction.

"I'm real glad, Miss Mason, real glad for those words."

"But they won't serve you," she went on hastily. "They can't serve
you. I refuse to let them. This is our last ride, and... here is the
gate."

Ranging her mare alongside, she bent, slid the catch, and followed the
opening gate.

"No; please, no," she said, as Daylight started to follow.

Humbly acquiescent, he pulled Bob back, and the gate swung shut between
them. But there was more to say, and she did not ride on.

"Listen, Miss Mason," he said, in a low voice that shook with
sincerity; "I want to assure you of one thing. I'm not just trying to
fool around with you. I like you, I want yo