t say."

He went on and, happening to slide on a piece of shale at that moment, I
sat down unexpectedly and the horse put its foot on me.

I felt embittered and helpless, but the others kept on.

"Very well," I said, "go on. Don't mind me. If this creature wants to
sit in my lap, well and good. I expect it's tired."

But as they went on callously, I was obliged to shove the creature off
and to hobble on. Bill was still babbling about holdups, and Aggie was
saying that he was sunstruck, but of course it did not matter.

We made very slow progress, owing to taking frequent rests, and late in
the afternoon we were overtaken by Mr. Bell, on foot and carrying a
pack. He would have passed on without stopping, but Aggie hailed him.

"Not going to hike, are you?" she said pleasantly. Aggie is fond of
picking up the vernacular of a region.

"No," he said in a surly tone quite unlike his former urbane manner,
"I'm merely taking this pack out for a walk."

But he stopped and mopped his face.

"To tell you the truth, ladies," he said, "I'm working off a little
steam, that's all. I was afraid, if I stayed round the hotel, I'd do
something I'd be sorry for. There are times when I am not a fit
companion for any one, and this is one of them."

We invited him to join us, but he refused.

"No, I'm better alone," he said. "When things get too strong for me on
the trail I can sling things about. I've been throwing boulders down the
mountain every now and then. I'd just as soon they hit somebody as not.
Also," he added, "I'm safer away from any red-headed men."

We saw him glance at Bill, and understood. Mr. Oliver was red-headed.

"Love's an awful thing," said Bill as the young man went on, kicking
stones out of his way. "I'm glad I ain't got it."

Tish turned and eyed him. "True love is a very beautiful thing," she
rebuked him. "Although a single woman myself, I believe in it. 'Come
live with me and be my love,'" she quoted, sitting down to shake a stone
out of her riding-boot.

Bill looked startled. "I might say," he said hastily, "that I may have
misled you, ladies. I'm married."

"You said you had never been in love," Tish said sharply.

"Well, not to say real love," he replied. "She was the cook of an outfit
I was with and it just came about natural. She was going to leave, which
meant that I'd have to do the cooking, which I ain't much at, especially
pastry. So I married her."

Tish gave him a scornful glance but