He jested, told stories, and to Linda's satisfaction and
Katy's delight, he ate his supper like a hungry man, frankly enjoying
it, and when the meal was finished Peter took Katy over the house,
explaining to her as much detail as was possible at that stage of its
construction, while Linda followed with mute lips and rebellion surging
in her heart. When leaving time came, while Katy packed the Bear
Cat, Linda wandered across toward the spring, and Peter, feeling
that possibly she might wish to speak with him, followed her. When he
overtook her she looked at him straightly, her eyes showing the hurt her
heart felt.

"Peter," she said, "that first night you had dinner with us, was Henry
Anderson out of your presence one minute from the time you came into the
house until you left it?"

Peter stopped and studied the ground at his feet intently. Finally he
said conclusively: "I would go on oath, Linda, that he was not. We were
all together in the living room, all together in the dining room. We
left together at night and John was with us."

"I see," said Linda. "Well, then, when you came back the next morning
after Eileen, before you started on your trip, to hunt a location, was
he with you all the time?"

Again Peter took his time to answer.

"We came to your house with Gilman," he said. "John started to the front
door to tell Miss Eileen that we were ready. I followed him. Anderson
said he would look at the scenery. He must have made a circuit of the
house, because when we came out ready to start, a very few minutes
later, he was coming down the other side of the house."

"Ah," said Linda comprehendingly.

"Linda," said Peter quietly, "it is very obvious that something has
worried you extremely. Am I in any way connected with it?"

Linda shook her head.

"Is there anything I can do?"

The negative was repeated. Then she looked at him.

"No, Peter," she said quietly, "I confess I have had a shock, but it is
in no way connected with you and there is nothing you can do about it
but forget my foolishness. But I am glad--Peter, you will never know how
glad I am--that you haven't anything to do with it."

Then in the friendliest fashion imaginable she reached him her hand and
led the way back to the Bear Cat, their tightly gripped hands swinging
between them. As Peter closed the door he looked down on Linda.

"Young woman," he said, "since this country has as yet no nerve
specialist to take the place of your disti