is team and
stopped it, and again dismembered the complicated gear. This, as Gertrude
realized, was work that needed a certain amount of skill. Finally, when
the overtaking binders had stopped near-by, he took out a small shaft and
held it up so that the harvesters could see it.

"Journal's bent; I'll have to go get a new piece," he said. "Go ahead
with your teams."

After that he unhitched his horses and was leading them past the place
where the Jernynghams sat, when Gertrude spoke to him.

"I'm sorry you had an accident, and I suppose you will have to send the
broken part to Sebastian. May I go with the team?"

"Why, of course," he said. "I'll drive you in to-morrow. As it's a pretty
long way, I'll try to borrow a comfortable rig."

He went on with the horses and she saw no more of him that day, but early
the next morning he brought up a light, four-wheeled vehicle, which would
carry two people and had a hood that could be drawn up. Gertrude thought
it a great improvement on the prairie wagon, and she admired the restive
team which he had some trouble in holding. When she got in, he sprang to
the seat beside her, the horses bounded forward, and they sped out
through a gap in the fence, the vehicle lurching wildly among the ruts.

For a while Gertrude was occupied, to the exclusion of everything else,
in trying to keep her place, but when Prescott turned the team on to a
stretch of smooth short grass she began to look about. It was a clear,
cool morning, the sky was a wonderful blue, and bluffs miles away showed
up with sharp distinctness. In the foreground the gray grass was bathed
in a soft light which was restful to the eyes. Then Gertrude examined the
rig, as the man had called it, which struck her as remarkably light and
fragile; and the same thing was noticeable about the harness. The horses
moved as if they were drawing no load, swinging along at a fast and
springy trot, while the vehicle ran lightly up and down the slight
undulations, the wheels jarring now and then into a hollow or smashing
through dwarf scrub. The pace was exhilarating, the fine air invigorated
the girl, and her usual prim reserve melted away.

"I am fortunate in getting in to Sebastian," she said. "There's a
cablegram it's necessary that my father should send."

"Glad to take you," Prescott rejoined. "Is Mr. Jernyngham in business?"

"Oh, no; not as you would understand it. We spend most of our time in the
country, where he manages