s all-powerful passion burned itself out; then she
could afford to safely agitate her own. It would not have grown less
in the necessary interim. So, much to Sue's surprise, the filly was as
gentle as the proverbial lamb.

As she turned for home, Waterbury rode out of the deepening shadows
behind her. He had left the colonel at his breeding-farm. Waterbury
and Sue rode in silence. The girl was giving all her attention to her
thoughts. What was left over was devoted to the insistent mouth
of Lethe, who ever and anon tested the grip on her bridle-rein;
ascertaining whether or not there were any symptoms of relaxation or
abstraction.

It is human nature to grow tired of being good. Waterbury's better
nature had been in the ascendancy for over a week. He thought he could
afford to draw on this surplus balance to his credit. He was riding very
close to Sue. He had encroached, inch by inch, but her oblivion had not
been inclination, as Waterbury fancied. He edged nearer. As she did not
heed the steal, he took it for a grant. We fit facts to our inclination.
The animal arose mightily in him. In stooping to avoid an overhanging
branch he brushed against her. The contact set him aflame. He was
hungrily eyeing her profile. Then in a second, he had crushed her head
to his shoulder, and was fiercely kissing her again and again--lips,
hair, eyes; eyes, hair, lips.

"There!" he panted, releasing her. He laughed foolishly, biting his
nails. His mouth felt as if roofed with sand-paper. His face was white,
but not as white as hers.

She was silent. Then she drew a handkerchief from her sleeve and very
carefully wiped her lips. She was absolutely silent, but a pulse was
beating--beating in her slim throat. The action, her silence, inflamed
Waterbury. He made to crush her waist with his ravenous arm. Then, for
the first time, she turned slowly, and her narrowed eyes met his.
He saw, even in the gloom. Again he laughed, but the onrushing blood
purpled his neck.

Desperation came to help him brave those eyes--came and failed. He
talked, declaimed, avowed--grew brutally frank. Finally he spoke of the
mortgage he held, and waited, breathing heavily, for the answer. There
was none.

"I suppose it's some one else, eh?" he rapped out, red showing in the
brown of his eyes.

Silence. He savagely cut the gelding across the ears, and then checked
its answering, maddened leap. The red deepened in Sue's cheek--two red
spots, the flag of cour