e cream in your coffee, Miss Messiter?"

She looked round in surprise. "Cream?"

"We're in tin-can land, you know, and live on air-tights. I milk my cow
with a can-opener. Let me recommend this quail on toast." He handed her
a battered tin plate, and prepared to help her from the frying-pan.

"I suppose that is another name for pork?"

"No, really. I happened to bag a couple of hooters before you wakened."

"You're a missionary of the good-foods movement. I shall name your
mission St. Sherry's-in-the-Wilderness."

"Ah, Sherry's! That's since my time. I don't suppose I should know my
way about in little old New York now."

She found him eager to pick up again the broken strands that had
connected him with the big world from which he had once come. It had
been long since she had enjoyed a talk more, for he expressed himself
with wit and dexterity. But through her enjoyment ran a note of
apprehension. He was for the moment a resurrected gentleman. But what
would he be next? She had an insistent memory of a heavenly flood of
music broken by a horrible discord of raucous oaths.

It was he that lingered over their breakfast, loath to make the first
move to bring him back into realities; and it was she that had to
suggest the need of setting out. But once on his feet, he saddled and
packed swiftly, with a deftness born of experience.

"We'll have to ask Two-step to carry double to-day," he said, as he
helped her to a place behind him.

Two-step had evidently made an end of the bronco spree upon which he
had been the evening before, for he submitted sedately to his unusual
burden. The first hilltop they reached had its surprise to offer the
girl. In a little valley below them, scarce a mile away, nestled a ranch
with its corrals and buildings.

"Look!" she exclaimed; and then swiftly, "Didn't you know it was there?"

"Yes, that's the Hilke place," he answered with composure. "It hasn't
been occupied for years."

"Isn't that some one crossing to the corral now?"

"No. A stray cow, I reckon."

They dropped into a hollow between the hills and left the ranch on their
left. She was not satisfied, and yet she had not grounds enough upon
which to base a suspicion. For surely the figure she had seen had been
that of a man.

CHAPTER 12. MISTRESS AND MAID

Now that it was safely concluded, Helen thought the adventure almost
worthwhile for the spontaneous expressions of good will it had drawn
forth from her adhere