rill. For the first time she felt the glory, and forgot
the discomfort, of the hot sun and the hot land. There was a man's
home; set apart from the world and yet sufficient unto itself; here was
a man's holding, one man's, and it was as big and wide as a king's
estate. She looked swiftly at the tall man at her side; it was his or
would be his. And he need not have told her; what she had read in the
timbre of his voice she saw written large in his eyes; they were bright
with the joy of possession.

'Neighbours, folks,' he was saying. 'So let's begin things in
neighbourly style. Come on home with me now; stick over a day or so
resting up. Then I'll send a wagon and a couple of the boys over to
the ridge with you and they'll lend you a hand at digging in for the
length of your stay. It's the sensible thing,' he insisted
argumentatively as he saw how Longstreet's gaze grew eager for the
Ridge. 'And I'd consider it an honour, a high honour.'

'You are extremely kind, sir,' said Longstreet hesitatingly. 'But----'

'Come on,' cut in Howard warmly, his hand on the older man's shoulder.
'Just as a favour to me, neighbour. Everything's plain out our way;
nothing fancy. But I've got clean beds to sleep in and the kitchen
store-room's full and---- Why, man, I've even got a bathtub! Come
ahead; be a sport and take a chance.'

Longstreet smiled; Helen watched him questioningly. Suddenly she
realized that she was a trifle curious about Alan Howard; bath and
clean beds did tempt her weary body, and besides there would be a
certain interest in looking in upon the stranger's establishment. She
wondered for the first time if there were a young Mrs. Howard awaiting
him?

'How about it, Helen?' asked her father. 'Shall we accept further of
this gentleman's kindness?'

'If we were sure,' hesitated Helen, 'that we would not be imposing----'

So it was settled, and Howard, highly pleased, led the way down into
the valley. Making the gradual descent their trail, well marked now by
the shod hoofs of horses, wound into a shady hollow. In the heart of
this where there was a thin trickle of water Howard stopped abruptly.
Helen, who was close to him, heard him mutter something under his
breath and in a new tone of wrath. She looked at him wondering. He
strode across the stream and stopped again; he stooped and she saw what
he had seen; he straightened up and she saw blazing anger in his eyes.

Here, no longer ago than y