me?" Billy Louise was not one to
waste time in the superfluities of speech when she had anything on her
mind.

"Sure. Get off, and I'll put up your horse. We're just through
eatin', but our grub carpenter will rustle something for yuh, all
right."

"No, I can't stop this time. I'm not hungry, anyway. Just give a yell
for Mr. Seabeck, will you? I want to see him a minute."

Floyd eyed her uncertainly, decided that Billy Louise was not in the
mood to yield to persuasion, and tactfully hurried off to find Seabeck
without shouting for him--lest he bring others also, who were evidently
not wanted at all. He took it that Billy Louise felt some diffidence
about visiting a strictly bachelor outfit, and he set himself to
relieve her of any embarrassment.

Presently Seabeck himself came from the dirt-roofed, rambling cabin
which was his home and strode down the path, buttoning his coat as he
came. Floyd's face showed for a minute in the doorway before he
effaced himself completely, and not another man was in sight anywhere.
Billy Louise was grateful to circumstance; she had dreaded this visit,
though not for the reason Floyd Carson believed.

"How de do, Miss MacDonald? Pretty nice day, but I'm afraid it's a
weather-breeder. The wind's trying to change, I notice."

"Yes, and so I mustn't stop. Could you ride part way home with me, Mr.
Seabeck? I--want to talk with you about something. And I can't stop a
minute. I must get home."

"Why, certainly, I'll go. If you'll wait just a minute while I saddle
up--or if you'd rather ride on, I'll overtake you."

"I'll ride on, I think. Blue hates standing around, and he's a little
warm, too. You're awfully good, Mr. Seabeck--"

"Oh, not at all!" Seabeck stubbed his toe on the stable doorsill in
his confusion at the praise. "I'll be right along, soon as I can slap
a saddle on." He disappeared, and Billy Louise turned and loped slowly
down the lane.

So far, so good. Billy Louise tried to believe that it was all going
to be as plain sailing as this fortuitous beginning, but she was aware
of a nervous fluttering in her throat while she waited, and she knew
that she positively dreaded hearing Seabeck gallop up behind her on the
frozen trail. "Why will people do things that make a lot of trouble
for others?" she cried out petulantly. And then she heard the steady
_pluck, pluckety-pluck_ of Seabeck's horse, and twisted her lips with a
whimsical acceptance of the