nt I must run into the house. I have
something to do before papa comes in.'

Sanchia's face glowed triumphantly, and her triumph was clearly one of
sheer malevolence. Howard lifted his face to hers, letting her read
his blazing wrath. She only shrugged her shoulders.

'I wish to God you were a man!' was all that he said.

'I don't,' she rejoined coolly. 'It's a whole lot more fun being a
woman. Men are such fools.'

She saw a tremor shake him from head to foot. He came a quick step
toward her, even laid a tense hand on her horse's mane as involuntarily
his other hand was lifted; for the instant a wild fear thrilled through
her. She thought that he was going to drag her from the saddle; she
had driven him hard, perhaps too hard. But she saw beyond him Helen
hurrying down the trail, she saw even that Helen was turning to glance
back. Resourceful in a crisis had Sanchia Murray always been;
resourceful now. She leaned forward, and, for Helen to see, patted the
rigid hand on her horse's neck. She laughed again as she saw that
Helen was almost running now; she could fancy that she had heard a gasp
catch in the girl's throat.

'You'll keep your hands off my affairs, Mr. Alan Howard,' she said
evenly. 'Or I'll spoil every dream of your life.'

He held back his answer, his throat working. He saw the forsaken spurs
and bridle near the bower which John Carr had constructed; he saw the
sunlight and shadow across the trail down which Helen had vanished.
Then, his own spurs clanking to his long strides, he too went down the
trail, his back and shoulders to Sanchia, stiff and belligerent.

Helen was in the cabin, the door closed. He called, and she did not
answer. He could hear her within, rummaging about, evidently very busy
with something or other; had it not been for the little snatch of song
which came out to him he could have thought that she was in the grip of
a frenzy no less than that riding him. He rapped on the door and
called again.

'Is that you, papa?' Helen's song was suspended briefly.

'No,' answered Howard. 'Won't you let me have a word with you?'

'I'd love to,' she rejoined. 'But I'm terribly busy just now. I'll be
out in a minute.' And again he heard her humming and stirring about.

He tried to open the door. It was locked. He turned away and sat down
on the doorstep.

'I'll wait here,' he told her. 'I'll wait all day and all night if I
have to.'

But there is nothing harder