panted in the shade of the hedge with shining eyes but
pretended not to see us. We had not exchanged a word so far. The girl
by my side gave him a scornful glance in passing.

"He offered to come with me," she remarked bitterly.

"And then abandoned you!" I sympathized. "It looks very unchivalrous.
But that's merely his want of tact. I believe he meant to protest
against your reckless proceedings. What made you come so near the edge
of that quarry? The earth might have given way. Haven't you noticed a
smashed fir tree at the bottom? Tumbled over only the other morning
after a night's rain."

"I don't see why I shouldn't be as reckless as I please."

I was nettled by her brusque manner of asserting her folly, and I told
her that neither did I as far as that went, in a tone which almost
suggested that she was welcome to break her neck for all I cared. This
was considerably more than I meant, but I don't like rude girls. I had
been introduced to her only the day before--at the round tea-table--and
she had barely acknowledged the introduction. I had not caught her name
but I had noticed her fine, arched eyebrows which, so the physiognomists
say, are a sign of courage.

I examined her appearance quietly. Her hair was nearly black, her eyes
blue, deeply shaded by long dark eyelashes. She had a little colour now.
She looked straight before her; the corner of her lip on my side drooped
a little; her chin was fine, somewhat pointed. I went on to say that
some regard for others should stand in the way of one's playing with
danger. I urged playfully the distress of the poor Fynes in case of
accident, if nothing else. I told her that she did not know the bucolic
mind. Had she given occasion for a coroner's inquest the verdict would
have been suicide, with the implication of unhappy love. They would
never be able to understand that she had taken the trouble to climb over
two post-and-rail fences only for the fun of being reckless. Indeed even
as I talked chaffingly I was greatly struck myself by the fact.

She retorted that once one was dead what horrid people thought of one did
not matter. It was said with infinite contempt; but something like a
suppressed quaver in the voice made me look at her again. I perceived
then that her thick eyelashes were wet. This surprising discovery
silenced me as you may guess. She looked unhappy. And--I don't know how
to say it--well--it suited her. The clouded brow, the