as befits your rugged constitution. Personally, I am not equal to more
than the inspirations of milk-and-water--as yet!"

As he opened the door the wolf howled in the distance. He turned with a
smile of sinister significance as an answering call rang out in the
night.

The fair hand holding the diluting pitcher wavered a trifle. A few drops
of water failed of their destination and spattered on the table.

CHAPTER XIX

MUTUAL ASSISTANCE

It was three days before she saw him again, he having left at daybreak
for a distant part of the range where he went to investigate a
disturbing report of mysteriously disappearing cattle whose loss puzzled
the most astute of his men. The news had come in over night, and
reasoning that she would be a late riser after her fatiguing trip, he
merely wrote her a short note saying that he was suddenly called away on
urgent business and could not say just when he would return. He was,
however, very explicit as to the horses that he deemed safe for her use,
particularly recommending a bay filly which he had broken especially for
her personal service. He did not deem it necessary to say that the filly
was his own personal property, originally designed as a gift for Grace.

An inexplicable disappointment wrinkled her smooth brows as she read the
carelessly polite words; this was such a note as her husband might have
written and she tossed it aside impatiently. Somehow or other it seemed
like a rebuff, this cold formality after their intimate conversation of
the preceding night, and she resented it strongly. Had she, after all,
made so little impression on this springald despite her tacit
encouragement of him! Could it be possible that he was only maliciously
amusing himself at her expense, playing even a more skillful game than
she was capable of doing against such an unusual antagonist? This man
was vastly different from those of her previous experience and she was
far from her habitual calm as she musingly weighed the possibilities.

At her request the filly was saddled and she rode over the ranch,
critically inspecting her new possessions. It was an unusually
well-situated property, and under Douglass's strenuous management it had
assumed an entirely new aspect. Everything was in perfect order and her
eye dwelt in pleased approval on the countless evidences of his
handiwork. With professional care and exactness he had reduced
everything to a science, and although not as extensiv