he office.

Pete was using a sickle on the stubbly grass, too stiff and
interspersed with stones for the mower.

The cows' big soft eyes were regarding Geraldine, as they always did for
a time after her arrival.

She turned her tired, listless look back to them and wondered what they
did here for comfort in the heat of summer. There was no shade, and no
creek to walk into.

When Rufus Carder arrived at his office he found the telephone ringing.
The message he received necessitated sending some word to a man out in
the field.

He went to the window and looked down at the white spot which was
Geraldine. He saw her rise and walk about. Perhaps she was picking
flowers. The distance was too great for him to be certain.

"I shall be right here," he muttered. Then he went to the corner of the
office and picked up a megaphone. Going outside the door he called to
Pete. "Come up here!" he shouted. The boy dropped his sickle and began
to amble up the hill as fast as his bow-legs would permit.

Geraldine heard the shout, and turning saw the dwarf obeying the
summons.

"Nobody but you to guard me now," she said to the prettiest of the cows
with whom she had made friends.

She watched Pete reach the summit of the incline and vanish into the
yellow office.

Presently he came out again and started off in the direction of the
fields.

"I think there is some one beside you to guard me now," went on
Geraldine to the cow, who gave her an undivided attention mindful of the
bunches of grass which the girl had often gathered for her. "I think the
ogre has come out to the edge of his cave and is scarcely winking as he
watches us down here. Oh, Bossy, I'm the most miserable girl in the
whole world." Her breath caught in her throat, and winking back
despairing tears she stooped to gather the expected thick handful of
grass when a humming sound came faintly across the stillness of the
field. She paused with listless curiosity and listened. The buzzing
seemed suddenly to fill all the air. It increased, and her upturned face
beheld an approaching aeroplane. Before she had time to connect its
presence with herself it began diving toward the earth. On and on it
came. It skimmed the ground, it ran along the meadow, the cows
stampeded. She clasped her hands, and with dilated eyes saw the aviator
jump out, pull something out of the cockpit and run toward her. She ran
toward him. It was--it couldn't be--it was--he pushed back his
helmet--