unded from a distant patch of woods, so she was alone
with her visitor.

Bas planted his feet wide apart and stood with an offensive manner of
proprietorship on the hearth, toasting himself in the grateful warmth.

"We've done got along right well tergether, little gal," he deigned to
announce. "An hit all only goes ter show how good things mout hev been
ef we hedn't nuver been hindered from weddin' at ther start."

The insolent presumption of the creature sent the blood pounding through
Dorothy's temples and the room swum about her: a room sacred to clean
memories that were being defiled by his presence.

"Ther time hain't ripe," she found herself making impetuous declaration,
"fer ye ter take no sich masterful tone, Bas. Matters hain't ended yet."
But here she caught herself up. Her anger had flashed into her tone and
it was not yet time to let it leap--so she laughed disarmingly as she
read the kindling of sullen anger in his eyes and added, "I don't allow
no man ter brag thet he overcome my will without no fight."

Bas Rowlett roared out a laugh that dissipated his dangerously swelling
temper and nodded his head.

"Thet's ther fashion ter talk, gal. I likes ter see a woman thet kin
toss her head like a fractious filly. I hain't got no manner of use fer
tame folks."

He came close and stood devouring her with the passion of his lecherous
eyes, and Dorothy knew that her long effort to play a part had reached
its climax.

He reached out his hands and for the second time he laid them upon her,
but now he did not seek to sweep her into an embrace. He merely let his
fingers rest, unsteady with hot feeling, on her shoulders as he said,
"Why kain't we quit foolin' along with each other, gal? _He_ hain't
nuver comin' back ter ye no more."

But at that Dorothy jerked herself away and her over-wrought control
snapped.

"What does ye mean?" she demanded, breathlessly. A sudden fear possessed
her that fatal news had reached him before it had come to her. "Hes
anything happened ter him?"

Instantly she realized what she had done, but it was useless to go on
acting after the self-betrayal of that moment's agitation, and even
Rowlett's self-complacent egotism read the whole truth of its meaning.
He read it and knew with a fullness of conviction that through the whole
episode she had been leading him on as a hunter decoys game and that her
slow and grudging conversion was no conversion at all.

"Nothin' hain't happene