Can you spare a few minutes to talk to me?"

"Why, of course," said Carrie, and Bernard waited until she sat down.
Although he thought she knew his importance, she was not anxious to
please him; but she did not assert her independence. The girl had an
ease of manner he approved and, if she remained at Langrigg, would soon
acquire the touch of polish she needed. But he pulled himself up. In
the meantime, he was going too fast.

"I understand you nursed Jim once before," he said. "Did you not use
your authority to keep him in the house this morning?"

"I did not," Carrie replied, with a twinkle. "Looks as if you didn't
know Jim yet! Besides, if you have some authority, you don't want to
strain it."

"That is no doubt true," Bernard agreed. None of his relations had so
far disputed his firm rule, but he knew when it was prudent not to
exercise his power. "You are a philosopher," he went on. "It is
sometimes an advantage to use a light hand."

"Jim can be led."

Bernard bowed. "I imagine you have led him where he ought to go."

"I wonder!" said Carrie, with thoughtful frankness. "The trouble is, I
don't know much and only understand simple things. Still, perhaps, I
did lead him in the woods. The right way was generally plain there.
But at Langrigg----"

"You're sometimes puzzled?" Bernard suggested. "Well, we are all
puzzled now and then, and perhaps to trust your instincts is a good
plan. This, however, is not advice I would give to everybody."

Carrie said nothing. She liked Bernard and was not afraid of him. He
talked to her with the politeness of the old school and when he looked
amused she thought his amusement was good-humored.

"Jim was under the car when you got to the spot, I think," he resumed.
"You had some trouble to lift it."

"Lance really lifted the car at the dangerous moment, though the others
helped. He saw the wheel was slipping; they were all in the ditch."

"Then who pulled Jim out?"

"I did," said Carrie, with a touch of embarrassment.

Bernard pondered. Lance had not told him about this and it was
possible he had an object for not doing so.

"Well," he said, "I expect Jim has had other accidents; as you
remarked, he is that kind of man. Did he get hurt when you were with
him in the woods?"

"He took some chances now and then, but he did not get hurt much."

"Although he came near it? I heard something about your going to his
rescue one night with a gun."

C