gave way; she slipped, lost her
balance, and pitched forward. Lee caught her in his arms.

For an instant she rested there in his clasp, her surprised eyes
gazing into his. A quiver passed over her form. Her lips were parted,
but she had ceased to breathe. Likewise in Bryant's breast the breath
had stopped. A fierce passion swept him to hold her always thus, warm
and close and secure. His arms trembled at the thought; at which her
eyelashes began to flutter and her breath to come once more, as
hurried as the beat of her heart. And then, yielding utterly to the
swirl of mad impulse, he kissed her--once, twice, and twice again.

Afterward he set her on her feet.

"I guess that ends our friendship," he said, with a wavering smile.
"Lost my head altogether. Couldn't help it. I looked at you and--and
it just happened. All my will and sense vanished in an instant.
Bewitched!"

The colour was still in her face, and her air was uncertain,
disturbed. But at his words, so palpably sincere and self
condemnatory, she began to smile.

"Perhaps--if we just forget----"

The smouldering fire in his eyes flared suddenly.

"Forget? I'll never forget that minute, those kisses," he exclaimed.
"Hanged if I want to, or will!"

"If, then, we don't repeat them, and are more circumspect, why, I'll
overlook it," she said, a little confusedly. "I know you meant no
discourtesy." He gave a savage shake of his head. "And Imogene and I
both prize your friendship."

"Thank you, Ruth. You take an awful load off my heart."

She glanced up at him, now once more composed. Her eyes gleamed with a
veiled impishness.

"No girl ever died from being kissed. But what a splendid lover you
would make!" Away she darted a few steps, to whirl and point and
waggle a finger at the dumfounded youth. "Are you coming? Because I
don't consider this a wise place to be with a flighty, irresponsible
man, first name Lee. Besides, it's beginning to grow dark in here."

Bryant joined her. The glow was still in his eyes, but in all other
respects he was his usual self, calm, collected. Together they went
down the cool, dim canon, with its honey scent of flowers drifting
with them; and though they talked lightly of things of no importance,
there was a little smile on the lips of each and sometimes their eyes
met, as if sharing a new, sweet intimacy.

Thereafter, frequent as were Lee's calls at Sarita Creek of evenings,
he seldom had Ruth to himself and on more t