t--"

"He didn't," said Jake.

"Or hinted it even--it was perfectly hateful of him! I shall go and tell
him so!"

Maud made as if she would release herself from his hold, but he
restrained her.

"No--no, my girl! You keep calm! I can hold my own with Bunny, and he
didn't mean any harm. I asked Saltash all right, and he's coming."

"Against your will," said Maud.

"No. Against my judgment, maybe. Not against my will. I've no objection
to entertaining him if you wish it. You and I don't quarrel over trifles
like Saltash."

Jake's tone was humorously tender. He patted her flushed cheek in a
conciliatory fashion. She turned very swiftly and kissed his hand.

"Thank you, Jake--darling. But--you are master in this house, remember.
No one enters it without your consent."

"Not even Saltash?" smiled Jake.

"Not even--Bunny!" said Maud, still breathing resentment.

He took her gently by the shoulder. "Look here, my girl! I won't have you
say a word to the boy about this, see? I didn't know you'd flare up like
that or I shouldn't have spoken. He didn't mean it that way. If he had,
I'd have punched his head. And after all," his eyes smiled suddenly into
hers, "I do live on my wife's bounty, don't I? Wouldn't I be driving cows
on the other side of the Atlantic without it?"

"No," Maud said. "You'd be owning your own ranch by this time,
and--and--and generally licking creation, Jake, as only you know how."

"Oh, shucks!" said Jake softly, and kissed her again upon the lips. "I'd
sooner be here anyway. Well, Saltash is coming, so we've got to make the
best of it. I shouldn't care a cuss if it weren't for young Bunny. But
he's always been keener on his lordship's company than I've thought
advisable."

"Oh, Jake," she said, colouring a little, "I don't believe Charlie would
do him any harm."

"Not intentionally perhaps," said Jake. "I've no ill feeling for him,
heaven knows, but I can't say I think his society likely to have a very
improving effect upon anyone."

"I don't think you quite understand him," Maud said thoughtfully.

Whereat Jake laughed so suddenly that she looked at him with raised
brows. He got to his feet, still laughing.

"Very likely not. We've had a good many misunderstandings, he and I, from
the day I cowhided him for a scoundrel to the day I nearly shot him for a
blackguard."

"Oh, but that was all so long ago," Maud said quickly. "He wasn't much
more than a boy in those days. He has grown