rie-dog town, and so, of course, in the midst of an area
of comparatively desert character. She was amusing herself by watching
the marmots as they barked, or watched, or peeped at her, according to
their distance from her. The sight of Alfred was not welcome, for he
frightened the marmots.

When he saw Miss Caldwell, Alfred grew bashful again. He sidled his
horse up to her and blushed.

"I'll show you th' way back, miss," he said, diffidently.

"Thank you," replied Miss Caldwell, with a slight coldness, "I can find
my own way back."

"Yes, of course," hastened Alfred, in an agony. "But don't you think we
ought to start back now? I'd like to go with you, miss, if you'd let me.
You see the afternoon's quite late."

Miss Caldwell cast a quizzical eye at the sun.

"Why, it's hours yet till dark!" she said, amusedly.

Then Alfred surprised Miss Caldwell.

His diffident manner suddenly left him. He jumped like lightning from
his horse, threw the reins over the animal's head so he would stand, and
ran around to face Miss Caldwell.

"Here, jump down!" he commanded.

The soft Southern _burr_ of his ordinary conversation had given place to
a clear incisiveness. Miss Caldwell looked at him amazed.

Seeing that she did not at once obey, Alfred actually began to fumble
hastily with the straps that held her riding-skirt in place. This was so
unusual in the bashful Alfred that Miss Caldwell roused and slipped
lightly to the ground.

"Now what?" she asked.

Alfred, without replying, drew the bit to within a few inches of the
animal's hoofs, and tied both fetlocks firmly together with the
double-loop. This brought the pony's nose down close to his shackled
feet. Then he did the same thing with his own beast. Thus neither animal
could so much as hobble one way or the other. They were securely
moored.

Alfred stepped a few paces to the eastward. Miss Caldwell followed.

"Sit down," said he.

Miss Caldwell obeyed with some nervousness. She did not understand at
all, and that made her afraid. She began to have a dim fear lest Alfred
might have gone crazy. His next move strengthened this suspicion. He
walked away ten feet and raised his hand over his head, palm forward.
She watched him so intently that for a moment she saw nothing else. Then
she followed the direction of his gaze, and uttered a little sobbing
cry.

Just below the sky-line of the first slope to eastward was silhouetted a
figure on horseback. The figure