se. Right away, she said, as soon as you'd et. She
said special she was in a hurry, an' you wasn't to waste time puttin'
on your glad rags."

Why did Argyl want him--to-night? He put his fingers to his cheek
where Brayley's fist had cut into the flesh. How could he go to her
like this? He was on the verge of telling Lonesome Pete that he could
not go, of framing some excuse, any excuse. But instead he closed his
lips without speaking, picked up his hat and went straight toward the
house.

She was waiting for him at the little summer-house upon the front
lawn. He saw the white of her lacy gown, the flash of her arms as he
came nearer, her outstretched hand as he came to her side. With his
hat caught under his right arm he put out his left hand to take hers.

"You were good to come so soon," she was saying.

"It was good to come," he rejoined, warmly. "You know how glad I am
for every opportunity I have to see you."

"What is the matter with your hand?" she asked, quickly. "Your right
hand?"

"I hurt it," he answered, easily. "Nothing serious. It will be well in
a day or two."

"How did you hurt it?" she persisted.

"Really, Miss Crawford," he retorted, trying to laugh away the
seriousness of her tone, "there are so many ways for a man to damage
his epidermis in this sort of work--"

She was standing close to him, looking intently up into his face
through the gathering darkness.

"Tell me--why did you do it?"

"What? Smash my fingers?"

"Yes. In the way you did!"

"What do you mean?" he hesitated, wondering what she knew.

"On Brayley's face! Why did you fight with him?"

"Who told you?"

"Brayley. He had to come to see father this evening. I saw his face. I
heard him tell father that he had had trouble with one of the men. I
was afraid that it was you! I followed him out into the yard and asked
him. It is no doubt none of my business--but will you tell me why you
fought with him?"

"I think that I would answer anything you cared to ask me, Miss
Crawford," he replied, quietly. "Will you sit down with me for a
little?" He moved slowly at her side, back to the seat in the
summer-house, grateful for any reason which gave him the privilege of
talking with her, watching her quick play of expression. "You see, my
object seemed so clear-cut and simple--and now gets itself all
tangled up in complexity when I try to explain it to you. For one
thing, ever since my first night on the Half Moon when Brayley pu