min. Bear with her tenderly for my sake."

He stepped to the girl.

"You are not afraid?"

"I am not afraid," she answered.

"My thoughts shall be near you. Farewell."

He had hardly reached the gate of the patio when Joseph, going out after
finishing his labor at the fountain, passed between the gambler and the
girl. Connor stopped him with a sign.

"The whip hasn't fallen, you see," he said maliciously.

"There is still much time," replied Joseph. "And before the end it will
fall. Perhaps on you. Or on that!"

He indicated the girl with his pointing finger; his glance turned
savagely from one to the other, and then he went slowly out of the patio
and they were alone. She came to Connor at once and even touched his arm
in her excitement.

"What did he mean?"

"That's the one I told you about. The one David beat up with the whip.
He'd give his eye teeth to get back at me, and he has an idea that
there's going to be hell to pay because another person has come into the
valley. Bunk! But--what happened down the hill?"

"When he stopped me? Did you see that?"

"My heart stopped the same minute. What was it?"

"He had just heard the last words of Abraham. When he stopped me on the
hill his face was terrible. Like a wolf!"

"I know that look in him. How did you buck up under it?"

"I didn't. I felt my blood turn to water and I wanted to run."

"But you stuck it out--I saw! Did he say anything?"

"He said: 'Dying men do not lie. And I have been twice warned. Woman,
why are you here?'"

"And you?" gasped Connor. "What did you say?"

"Nothing. My head spun. I looked up the terrace. I wanted to see you,
but you weren't in sight. I felt terribly alone and absolutely helpless.
If I'd had a gun, I would have reached for it."

"Thank God you didn't!"

"But you don't know what his face was like! I expected him to tear me
off the horse and smash me with his hands. All at once I wanted to tell
him everything--beg him not to hurt me." Connor groaned.

"I knew it! I knew that was in your head!"

"But I didn't."

"Good girl."

"He said: 'Why are you here? What harm have you come to work in the
Garden?'"

"And you alone with him!" gasped Connor.

"That was what did it. I was so helpless that it made me bold. Can you
imagine smiling at a time like that?"

"Were you able to?"

"I don't know how. It took every ounce of strength in me. But I made
myself smile--straight into his face. Then I put out my hand