ed her gently on one knee in order that she might breathe more
freely. As he did so, one of her hands came into sudden contact with his
own. Instinctively his hand closed over it and held it captive; it was
so soft and warm, just like a little bird. His soul was sorely tempted,
and sad to relate, he raised it to his lips and held it there, at which
juncture Bessie Van Ashton slowly opened her eyes.

With a cry, she was on her feet--flushed and furious.

"Don't be alarmed, Miss Van Ashton!" he exclaimed, quite unconscious of
the cause of her sudden fright. "You're not hurt a bit; you didn't touch
the ground. You only fainted."

"How dare you hold me in your arms?" she cried.

"I couldn't help it, Miss Van Ashton; you dropped right into them."

"How dare you kiss me, sir?"

"I couldn't help that either," stammered Dick, covered with confusion
and blushing like a school-boy.

"Insolence!" cried Bessie with increased vehemence, stamping her small
foot furiously on the ground.

"Miss Van Ashton," stammered Dick again, "I apologize! I--I beg your
pardon--"

"For taking advantage of a helpless woman while in an unconscious
state!" she interrupted. "A most gentlemanly act!" she added
contemptuously. Her words cut him like the lash of a whip, causing him
to wince, his face turning a deep red.

"I'm sorry--" he began.

"You know you're not sorry at all!" she broke in again with unabated
fury.

"Miss Van Ashton," he said again, with increasing embarrassment, "when
you fell into my arms I was so surprised and frightened--"

"Frightened?" She laughed in his face. "A man who single handed held a
furious crowd of men at bay as you did--frightened? You mean that you
were so overcome with weakness and the joy at finding a helpless woman
in your power you could think of nothing better to do than to kiss her,"
she answered with all the sarcasm she could command.

A twinkle came into Dick's dark eyes as he regarded her for some time in
silence.

"Miss Van Ashton," he said, "if you only knew it, you are far more
dangerous than a tame mob of boys."

"Pshaw!" she exclaimed, turning her back upon him, and tapping the
ground nervously with her daintily shod foot. Dick regarded her narrowly
during the pause that ensued. She seemed taller than he at first had
thought her, and was as slender as a birch. The sun, which by this time
had begun to peep over the top of the canon wall, cast a golden aureole
about her head. Again he