rden is no longer part of it. For us,
the gray gelding does not exist. Why are you here?"

"Because she would not leave the gate. She says that she will see you."

"She is a fool. And because she was so confident, you were weak enough
to believe her?"

"I told her that you would not come; that you could not come!"

"You have told her that it is impossible for me to speak with her?" said
David, while Connor gradually regained control of himself, summoning all
his strength for the crisis.

"I told her all that, but she said nevertheless she would see you."

"For what reason?"

"Because she has money with which to buy another horse like her gelding,
which is old."

"Go back and tell her that there is no money price on the heads of my
horses. Go! When Ephraim is at the gate there are no such journeyings to
me."

"Ephraim is here," said Jacob stoutly, "and he spoke much with her.
Nevertheless she said that you would see her."

"For what reason?"

"She said: 'Because.'"

"Because of what?"

"That word was her only answer: 'Because.'"

"This is strange," murmured David, turning to Connor. "Is that one word
a reason?

"Go back again," commanded David grimly. "Go back and tell this woman
that I shall not come, and that if she comes again she will be driven
away by force. And take heed, Jacob, that you do not come to me again on
such an errand. The law is fixed. It is as immovable as the rocks in the
mountains. You know all this. Be careful hereafter that you remember. Be
gone!"

The ruin of his plan in its very inception threatened Ben Connor. If he
could once bring David to see the girl he trusted in her beauty and her
cleverness to effect the rest. But how lead him to the gate? Moreover,
he was angered and his frown boded no good for Jacob. The old servant
was turning away, and the gambler hunted his mind desperately for an
expedient. Persuasion would never budge this stubborn fellow so used to
command. There remained the opposite of persuasion. He determined on an
indirect appeal to the pride of the master.

"You are wise, David," he said solemnly. "You are very wise. These
creatures are dangerous, and men of sense shun them. Tell your servants
to drive her away with blows of a stick so that she will never return."

"No, Jacob," said the master, and the servant returned to hear the
command. "Not with sticks. But with words, for flesh of women is tender.
This is hard counsel, Benjamin!"

He regarded t