Jacqueline were alone once
more.

"You mean," she exclaimed, "that you are going to quarrel--now?"

"Jack'leen, what was it?"

"I reck-on," she observed demurely, "that the animal disputans was--was
right, after all. It was nothing, I--reck-on."

He noted mockery, defiance. There was much too much independence after
her late surrender. He went up to her and deliberately reassumed the
mastery. He held her, by force. "Mon chevalier," she murmured softly. So
she confessed his strength.

"Tell me," he said.

"And you did not guess? You--Oh, how I hated you! How I never wanted to
see you, never again! Not after, not after--Mon Dieu, you were two
exasperating idiots, you and poor Prince Max! He virtually _threw_
me into your arms. But I, monsieur, am not a person to be thrown. That
is, unless--unless I do it myself, which--I did, helas!"

The trooper's grip tightened on her arms. "Then you," he said earnestly,
"would have let me lose you?"

She laughed merrily at him.

"And would not you have followed after me?"

"W'y, little girl, I reckon I certainly would of."

"Don't," she gasped. "Let me come--closer. Oh dear, how can the bon Dieu
let people be so happy--s-o happy!"

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