the open air be content
with the walls of a city?

For several miles the road ran over the level floor of the valley, and
she urged the team to full speed. "I don't want to meet anybody if I can
help it. Once we reach the old stage route the chances of being scouted
are few. Nobody uses that road since the broad-gauge reached Cragg's."

Mrs. McFarlane could not rid herself of the resentment with which she
suffered this enforced departure; but she had small opportunity to
protest, for the wagon bumped and clattered over the stony stretches with
a motion which confused as well as silenced her. It was all so
humiliating, so unlike the position which she had imagined herself to
have attained in the eyes of her neighbors. Furthermore, she was going
away without a trunk, with only one small bag for herself and
Berrie--running away like a criminal from an intangible foe. However, she
was somewhat comforted by the gaiety of the young people before her. They
were indeed jocund as jaybirds. With the resiliency of youth they had
accepted the situation, and were making the best of it.

"Here comes somebody," called Berrie, pulling her ponies to a walk.
"Throw a blanket over that valise." She was chuckling as if it were all a
good joke. "It's old Jake Proudfoot. I can smell him. Now hang on. I'm
going to pass him on the jump."

Wayland, who was riding with his hat in his hand because he could not
make it cover his bump, held it up as if to keep the wind from his face,
and so defeated the round-eyed, owl-like stare of the inquisitive
rancher, who brought his team to a full stop in order to peer after them,
muttering in a stupor of resentment and surprise.

"He'll worry himself sick over us," predicted Berrie. "He'll wonder where
we're going and what was under that blanket till the end of summer. He is
as curious as a fool hen."

A few minutes more and they were at the fork in the way, and, leaving the
trail to Cragg's, the girl pulled into the grass-grown, less-traveled
trail to the south, which entered the timber at this point and began to
climb with steady grade. Letting the reins fall slack, she turned to her
mother with reassuring words. "There! Now we're safe. We won't meet
anybody on this road except possibly a mover's outfit. We're in the
forest again," she added.

For two hours they crawled slowly upward, with a roaring stream on one
side and the pine-covered slopes on the other. Jays and camp-birds called
from the t