e, just remember back ... a little ... oh,
so little ... of what we were to each other ... then?"

"Now you're taking advantage," he smiled, and returned to the attack on
his thumb. He drew the thorn out, inspected it critically, then
concluded. "No, thank you. I'm not playing the Good Samaritan."

"Yet you made this hard journey for an unknown man," she urged.

His impatience was sharply manifest. "Do you fancy I'd have moved a step
had I known he was my wife's lover?"

"But you are here ... now. And there he lies. What are you going to do?"

"Nothing. Why should I? I am not at the man's service. He pilfered me."

She was about to speak, when a knock came on the door.

"Get out!" he shouted.

"If you want any assistance--"

"Get out! Get a bucket of water! Set it down outside!"

"You are going to...?" she began tremulously.

"Wash up."

She recoiled from the brutality, and her lips tightened.

"Listen, Grant," she said steadily. "I shall tell his brother. I know
the Strang breed. If you can forget old sake, so can I. If you don't do
something, he'll kill you. Why, even Tom Daw would if I asked."

"You should know me better than to threaten," he reproved gravely, then
added, with a sneer: "Besides, I don't see how killing me will help your
Rex Strang."

She gave a low gasp, closed her lips tightly, and watched his quick eyes
take note of the trembling that had beset her.

"It's not hysteria, Grant," she cried hastily and anxiously, with
clicking teeth. "You never saw me with hysteria. I've never had it. I
don't know what it is, but I'll control it. I am merely beside myself.
It's partly anger--with you. And it's apprehension and fear. I don't
want to lose him. I do love him, Grant. He is my king, my lover. And I
have sat here beside him so many dreadful days now. Oh, Grant, please,
please."

"Just nerves," he commented drily. "Stay with it. You can best it. If
you were a man I'd say take a smoke."

She went unsteadily back to the stool, where she watched him and fought
for control. From the rough fireplace came the singing of a cricket.
Outside two wolf-dogs bickered. The injured man's chest rose and fell
perceptibly under the fur robes. She saw a smile, not altogether
pleasant, form on Linday's lips.

"How much do you love him?" he asked.

Her breast filled and rose, and her eyes shone with a light unashamed
and proud. He nodded in token that he was answered.

"Do you mind if I take a little t