ever!" replied Winthrop. "Even as our rather mutual and distinctly
illustrious friend Overland says, 'Not till me wires are all down and
me lights are out.'"

Collie, standing at the open French window just above them, drew back.
Quite naturally, being a young man in love, he misinterpreted all that
he had seen and heard. Louise had been away the day he was expected to
return to the ranch. She had come back. She was seemingly satisfied with
Winthrop's society. She was even more than satisfied; she was flirting
with him. An unreasonable, bucolic jealousy, partly due to his
condition, overcame Collie's usual serenity. His invalidism magnified
the whole affair to absurd proportions.

Perhaps it was the intensity of his gaze that caused Louise to glance
up. His expression startled her. His eyes were burning. His face was
unnaturally white. He met her glance, but gave no sign of recognition--a
rudeness that he regretted even while he manifested it.

Louise turned away proudly, calling Winthrop's attention to a huge
garden-seat beneath the live-oaks. "We have dinner out there quite
often," she said, her eyes glowing. "Would you care to rest a while
after your ride?"

"'A jug of wine--a loaf of bread--'" he quoted.

"But it isn't a wilderness. And dinner won't be ready for an hour yet.
Don't you think a wilderness would have been utterly stupid with his
'thou' beside him singing everlastingly? Now please don't say, 'It would
depend on the _thou_.'"

"Do you sing, Miss Lacharme?"

"A little."

"Please, then,--a little. Then I'll answer your question."

"I had rather not, just now."

"My answer would be the same in either case. This is living, after the
desert and its loneliness. I discovered one thing out there,
however,--myself. It was a surprise. My 'way-back ancestors must have
been pirates."

"Mine--grew roses--in southern France."

"I am glad they eventually came to America," he said.

"Are you so fond of candy, Mr. Winthrop?"

"No."

"Neither am I."

"I'm glad they came, just the same. I simply can't help it."

"Overland--Mr. Summers--doesn't take life very seriously, does he?"
asked Louise.

"Not as seriously as life has taken him, at odd times."

"You brought Collie in your car, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"He's much better?"

"Yes. But he's pretty shaky yet. He's a little queer, in fact. As we
came up the canon he asked me to stop the car by the cliff, near this
end,--that place where the sunli