ldiers?" cried the rider with a wild look among the trees.

"My dog," called back the other. "He charges at the word."

"Well, you know, I saw service in the army," apologized his lordship,
with a pale smile. "Get ep!" to the horse.

"What's your hurry?" asked Shaw, grinning broadly as he came up to the
log.

"Don't--don't you dare to step over that log," shouted Bazelhurst.

"All right. I see. But, after all, what's the rush?" The other was
puzzled for the moment.

"I'm practising, sir," he said unsteadily. "How to mount on a run,
demmit. Can't you see?"

"In case of fire, I imagine. Well, you made excellent time. By the
way, what has this envelope to do with it?"

"Who are you, sir?"

"Shaw. And you?"

"You'll learn when you read that document. Take it home with you."

"Ah, yes, I see it's for me. Why don't you untie that hitch rein?
And what the dickens do you mean by having a hitch rein, anyway? No
rider--"

"Confound your impudence, sir, I did not come here to receive
instructions from you, dem you," cried his lordship defiantly. He had
succeeded at that moment in surreptitiously slashing the hitch rein in
two with his pocket-knife. There was nothing now to prevent him
from giving the obtrusive young man a defiant farewell. "I am Lord
Bazelhurst. Good day, sir!"

"Just a minute, your lordship," called Shaw. "No doubt you were timing
yourself a bit ago, but that's no reason why you should leave your
watch on my land. Of course, I've nothing against the watch, and,
while I promise you faithfully that any human being from your side of
the log who ventures over on my side shall be ejected in one way or
another, it would seem senseless for me to kick this timepiece into
the middle of next week."

"Don't you dare kick that watch. It's a hundred years old."

"Far be it from me to take advantage of anything so old. Don't you
want it any longer?"

"Certainly, sir. I wouldn't part from it."

"Then why don't you come over and get it? Do you expect me to break
the rule by coming over on to your land to hand it to you?"

"I shouldn't call _that_ trespassing, don't you know," began his
lordship.

"Ah? Nevertheless, if you want this watch you'll have to come over and
get it."

"By Jove, now, that's a demmed mean trick. I'm mounted. Beastly
annoying. I say, would you mind _tossing_ it up to me?"

"I wouldn't touch it for ten dollars. By the way, I'll just read this
note of yours." Lord Bazelhurst nervo