ss
struck her as in keeping with her view of his character. The man was
well-endued physically; but apart from the strong vitality that was
expressed in every line of his pose he looked clean, as she vaguely
described it to herself. There was, at least, an indefinable something
about him that was apparently born of a simple, healthful life spent in
determined labour in the open air. It became plainer as she remembered
other men she had met upon whom the mark of the beast was unmistakably
set. Then Mrs. Hastings broke the silence.

"Well," she said, "we have driven over as we promised. I've no doubt
you will give us supper, but we'll go on and sit down with Mrs. Nansen
in the meanwhile. I expect you're too busy to talk to us."

[Illustration: "'Well,' she said, 'we have driven over as we
promised!'"]

Wyllard laughed, and it occurred to Agatha that his laugh was wholesome
as well as pleasant.

"I generally am busy," he admitted. "These beasts have, however, been
at it since sun-up, and they're rather played out now. I'll talk to
you as long as you like after supper, which will soon be ready. It's
bad economy to ask too much from them."

Agatha noticed that though the near horse's coat was foul with dust and
sweat he laid his brown hand upon it, and she supposed she must be
fanciful, for it seemed to her that the gentleness with which he did it
was very suggestive.

"I wonder if that's the only reason that influences you," she said.

A twinkle crept into Wyllard's eyes. "It seems to me a good one as far
as it goes; anyway, I've been driven rather hard myself now and then,
and I didn't like it."

"Doesn't that usually result in making one drive somebody else harder
to make up for it, when one has the opportunity?"

"If it does it certainly isn't logical. Logic's rather a fine thing
when it's sound."

"Then," Mrs. Hastings broke in, "I'll suggest a proposition: what's to
be the result of all this ploughing if we have harvest frost or the
market goes against you?"

"Quite a big deficit," said Wyllard cheerfully.

"And that doesn't cause you any anxiety?"

"I'll have had some amusement for my money."

Mrs. Hastings turned to Agatha. "He calls working from sunrise until
it's dark, and afterwards now and then, amusement!" Then she looked
back at Wyllard. "I believe it isn't quite easy for you to hold your
back as straight as you are doing, and that off-horse certainly looks
as if it wanted to li