Yet I care for it even more, perhaps, than I do for the
North--"

The calm, even tenor of the speech between them was reassuring her,
although it was solving no problems which, deep in her breast, she knew
lay latent, ready to quicken at any instant.

All that awaited to be solved; all that threatened between her and her
heart and conscience, now lay within her, quiescent for the moment. And
it was from moment to moment now that she was living, blindly evading,
resolutely putting off what must come after that relentless
self-examination which was still before her.

The transport wagon was now in sight ahead; and Bulow, one of the
guides, had released a brace of setters, casting them out among the open
pines.

Away raced the belled dogs, jingling into the saw-scrub; and Shiela
nodded to him to prepare for a shot as she drew her own gun from its
boot and loaded, eyes still following the distant dogs.

To and fro raced the setters, tails low, noses up, wheeling, checking,
quartering, cutting up acres and acres--a stirring sight!--and more
stirring still when the blue-ticked dog, catching the body-scent, slowed
down, flag whipping madly, and began to crawl into the wind.

"You and Shiela!" called out Cardross as they trotted up, guns resting
on their thighs. "Gray and I'll pick up the singles."

The girl sprang to the ground, gun poised; Hamil followed her, and they
walked across the sandy open where scarcely a tuft of dead grass
bristled. It seemed impossible that any living creature bigger than an
ant could conceal itself on that bare, arid sand stretch, but the ticked
dog was standing rigid, nose pointing almost between his forefeet, and
the red dog was backing him, tail like a ramrod, right forefoot doubled,
jaws a-slaver.

The girl glanced sideways at Hamil mischievously.

"What are we shooting for, Mr. Hamil?"

"Anything you wish," he said, "but it's yours anyway--all I can give. I
suppose I'm going to miss."

"No; you mustn't. If you're out of practice remember to let them get
well away. And I won't shoot a match with you this time. Shall I flush?"

"I'll put them up. Are you ready?"

"Quite, thank you."

He stepped up beside the ticked dog, halted, took one more step
beyond--whir-r-r! and the startled air was filled with wings; and crack!
crack! crack-crack! spoke the smokeless powder.

Two quail stopped in mid-air and pitched downward.

"O Lord!" said Hamil, "they're not my birds. Shiela, how _c