ep," she finished, with a twinkle in her grey-blue
eyes.

"Just so," he said, with a laugh. "Shall I have another try?"

"Oh, no; you'd be here all day; and we've got to see if the others are
all right; but first I think we'd better go and look at the weir; Jason
says that a stone has got washed down, and that means that when the
autumn rains come the meadows would be flooded."

"All right: I'm ready," he said, with bright alacrity. "I'm enjoying
this. I know now why you look so happy and contented. You're of some
use in the world, and I--the rest of us--That's the weir?" he broke off
to enquire, as they came in sight of a rude barrier of stones which
partially checked the stream.

"That is it," she said. "And Jason is right. Some of the big stones
have been washed down. What a nuisance! We shall have to get some men
from Bryndermere to put them up again."

Stafford rode up to the weir and looked at it critically.

"Thank Heaven I haven't got to count the stones!" he said. "If you'll
kindly hold my horse--he's not so well trained as yours, and would
bolt, I'm afraid." He slipped from the saddle as he spoke, and she
caught the reins.

"What are you going to do? she asked.

"I don't know yet," Stafford called back, as he waded into the river.

She held the horse and sat reposeful in the saddle and watched him with
a smile upon her face. But it grew suddenly grave as she saw Stafford
stoop and put his arms round one of the fallen stones; and she cried to
him:

"Oh, you can't lift them; it's no use trying!"

Stafford apparently did not hear her, for, exerting all his strength,
he lifted the big stone and gradually slid and hoisted it into its
place. Then he attacked the other two, and with a still greater effort
raised them into a line with their fellows.

Ida watched him as--well, as one watches some "strong man" going
through his performance.

It was a well-nigh incredible feat, and she held her breath as one
stone followed the other. It seemed to her incredible and impossible,
because Stafford's figure was slight and graceful, and he performed the
feat with the apparent ease which he had learnt in the 'varsity
athletic sports.

The colour rose to her face and her heart beat quickly. There is one
thing left for women to worship; and they worship it readily--and that
is strength. Stafford could not count sheep--any woman could do
that--but he could do what no woman could do: lift those great stones
int