moved the newspaper, which
was caught by a draught and blew down the stairs and across the grass.
It flapped in the fresh wind and fell near the horses' feet.

This was too much for the range-bred animals to stand, and they reared
and plunged, and then began to back away from the fluttering white
object. Charnock jumped out and ran towards their heads, but Sadie
raised her whip with a gesture of command.

"Don't butt in, Bob; I'm going to take them past."

Charnock stood back obediently, though his alert pose hinted that he was
ready to run forward if he were needed, and Helen studied his companion.

Sadie, dressed in black and white, with a black feather in her white
hat, was braced back on the driving seat, with one hand on the reins
while she used the whip. There was a patch of bright color in her face,
her eyes flashed, and the rigidity of her figure gave her an air of
savage resolution. She looked a handsome virago as she battled with the
powerful horses, which plunged and kicked while the wagon rocked among
the ruts. Helen watched the struggle with somewhat mixed feelings. This
was the girl for whom Bob had given her up!

After an exciting minute or two Sadie forced the horses to pass the
fluttering paper, and then pulled them up.

"Where's Stephen?" she asked.

Helen said he was harrowing on the other side of the rise, and Sadie,
getting down, signed to Charnock.

"Put the team in the stable, and then go and look for Festing. Don't
come back too soon."

Then she came towards the house and Helen felt half-annoyed and
half-amused. Stephen did not like to be disturbed when he was busy,
and she knew what he thought of Bob. Moreover, she wondered with some
curiosity what Mrs. Charnock had to say to her. Sadie sat down and
waited until she recovered breath.

"You know who I am," she remarked presently. "Bob can drive all right,
but he's too easy with the team. I don't see why I should get down
before I want because the horses are scared by a paper."

"Perhaps it was better to make them go on, but they nearly upset you,"
Helen agreed with a smile.

Sadie gave her a steady, criticizing glance, but her naive curiosity
softened her rudeness.

"Well, I wanted to see you. Looks as if Bob was a fool, in one way, but
I guess I can see him through what he's up against on the prairie better
than you."

Helen had been prejudiced against Mrs. Charnock, but her blunt sincerity
was disarming. Besides, she had expec