virus of death. His movements had the grace and energy of one whose
every muscle is trained by service and in perfect condition. Only men
who hail from cold climates retain this characteristic in Africa.
Those born in its disintegrating heats are usually overtaken in the
early thirties by physical weariness or, as some choose to call it,
"slackness" that only fine moral training can overcome.

He was good to look at, too, this man in spotless white clothes, the
blueness of his eyes throwing up the clear tan of his face, his
burnished hair lying close to his head. Christine thought rather sadly
that the presence on the farm of any one so sane and fearless-looking
would have been a great comfort to her, if only he had not been one of
the people whose ways troubled her most.

It was with difficulty that she at last got Roddy away, he was so
evidently under the forestry man's spell. Almost she felt that spell
herself when he began talking to her, looking deep into her eyes while
he explained his work; but suddenly it seemed to her that those blue
eyes were explaining something quite different, and, flushing
furiously, she made haste to take Roddy's hand and end the interview by
walking away.

There was considerable trouble during the afternoon with Rita and
Coral. If Christine turned her back for a moment, they flew out into
the sunshine, hatless, disporting themselves like baby ostriches.
Reproaches were received with trills of laughter, warnings of
punishment with trusting, happy eyes.

When, at last, Christine had them safely absorbed in a table-game, it
was to realize that Roddy had suddenly disappeared. Calling Meekie to
take charge of the little girls, she hastened, with beating heart, in
search of the boy. Instinct took her in the direction of the dam, and
she caught him up just as he had reached its brink. He looked at her
brightly, no sign of shamefacedness or sulkiness on him, but would give
no further explanation than that he "only wanted to peep in."

"But, Roddy, how could you be so disobedient, dear? And you remember
what your mother said this morning?"

"Yes, I remember; but I did not promise. If I had promised, I would
not have gone."

"Well, will you promise me, darling?"

But at that he broke away from her and ran toward the house, singing,
"Just a little peep-in--just a little peep-in."

She felt more than slightly dispirited. There were three bad nights
behind her, and the day had