about the way the land was bought, and I'm hoping,
I'm sure, that he will be able to explain it satisfactorily; and I want
to tell you that it is a mistake. I don't know much of my father, but I
can't believe that he would do anything underhand." He stopped suddenly
as the bagman's remarks flashed across his memory. "If your father's
grievance against him is just, why--ah, well, you'll have to cut me
when we meet; but I don't think it is; and I don't think it would be
fair to treat me as if _I_'d done something wrong."

Her brows came together, and she looked at him as if she were puzzled.

"I don't know why it matters," she said.

"Well, I can't tell you," he said, helplessly. "I only know that I
don't want to part from you this morning, knowing that the next time we
meet we should meet as strangers. I wanted to come to the Hall, to
enquire after Mr. Heron."

Her face flushed.

"Do not," she said in a low voice.

"I won't, of course," he responded, quickly. "It would only make
matters worse; your father would naturally dislike me, refuse to see
me; but--well, it's very hard on me."

She looked at him again, gravely, thoughtfully, as if she were still
puzzled by his persistence. Her eyes wandered to the dogs. Bess was
still standing up against him, and Donald had thrown himself down
beside him, and was regarding Ida with an air that said, quite plainly,
"This new friend of yours is all right."

"You have made friends with the dogs," she said, with a slight smile.

Stafford laughed.

"Oh, yes. There must be some good in dumb animals, for most of 'em take
to me at first sight."

She laughed at this not very brilliant display of wit. "I assure you
they wouldn't cut me next time we met. You can't be less charitable
than the dogs, Miss Heron!"

She gave a slight shrug to her straight, square shoulders. The gesture
seemed charming to Stafford, in its girlish Frenchiness.

"Ah, well," she said, with a pretty air of resignation, as if she were
tired of arguing.

Stafford's face lit up, and he laughed--the laugh of the man who wins;
but it died away rather suddenly, as she said gravely:

"But I do not think we shall meet often. I do not often go to the other
side of the lake: very seldom indeed; and you will not, you say, fish
the Heron; so that--Oh, there is the colt loose," she broke off. "How
can it have got out? I meant to ride it to-day, and Jason, thinking I
had changed my mind, must have turned it out."