n ideas of what she would do. She presently left him
alone and walked on swiftly to the place of the breakdown. There she
borrowed a hand-car; it was a light one that could be worked easily by
two men, and Zilda determined to work it alone. While she was coming
back along the iron road on the top of the narrow embankment, Gilby
could see her from where he sat--a stalwart young woman in homespun
gown, stooping and rising with regular toilsome movement as she worked
the rattling machine that came swiftly nearer.

When the carriage thus provided for him was close at hand, the almost
breathless Zilda actually proposed to exert her strength to carry Gilby
up to it. He insisted upon hopping on one foot supported by her arm; he
did not feel the slightest inclination to lean upon her more than was
needful, he was too self-conscious and proud. Even after she had placed
him on the car, he kept up an air of offence for a long time just
because she had proved her strength to be so much greater than his own.
His little rudenesses of this sort did not disturb Zilda's tranquillity
in the least.

Gilby sat on the low platform of the hand-car. He looked like a bantam
cock whose feathers were much ruffled. Zilda worked at the handles of
the machine; she was very large and strong, all her attitudes were
statuesque. The May day beamed on the flat spring landscape through
which they were travelling; the beam found a perfect counterpart in the
joy of Zilda's heart.

So she brought Gilby safely to the hotel and installed him in the best
room there. The sprain was a very bad one. Gilby was obliged to lie
there for a month. Sometimes his friends came out from the town to see
him, but not very often, and they did not stay long. Zilda cooked for
him, Zilda waited upon him, Zilda conversed with him in the afternoons
when he needed amusement. This month was the period of her happiness.

When he was going home, Gilby felt really very grateful to the girl. He
had not the slightest thought of making love to her; he felt too
strongly on the subject of his dignity and his principles for that; but
although he haggled with Chaplot over the bill, he talked in a bombastic
manner about making Zilda a present.

It did not distress Zilda that he should quarrel with her father's bill;
she had no higher idea in character than that each should seek his own
in all things; but when Gilby talked of giving her a present she shrank
instinctively with an air of of