don't belong to us."

"They belong to somebody who would rather they didn't stray," Lisle
rejoined. "In the country I come from, it's considered a serious
transgression to knock over another person's fence and not put it up
again."

He calmly went on with his task, and sitting down she took out a silver
cigarette-case. After a minute or two she looked up at him.

"You're doing that very neatly," she remarked.

"I've done something of the kind for a living," Lisle informed her.

"Oh! It's curious that you seem proud of it. In this case, I don't mind
your keeping me, because they can't drive up the birds until we have
crossed the higher moor. It will annoy Gladwyne and his keeper, and I'm
not pleased with either of them. I wanted Flo Marple's station at the
first butts."

Lisle considered this. He had wondered why she had favored him with her
company, when, although her previous companion had deserted her, she
could by hurrying a little have joined the others. The butts were not
spaced very far apart. Their late occupants had, however, now vanished
into a dip of the moor. He asked himself why a girl with her assurance
should have troubled to offer him an explanation.

When he had finished the repairs to the wall, they went on, and a little
later he heard a sharp "Cruck--cruck-curruck," to one side of him.
Swinging around, he saw a grouse skimming the heather.

"A pair of gloves to a sovereign that you miss!" cried his companion.

The bird was flying fast; Lisle had to load, and by the time he had
snapped in a cartridge it was a long range. This, however, was somewhat
in his favor, as he was better used to the rifle. There was a flash and
the bird struck the heath. The girl glanced at him in unveiled
appreciation.

"A clean kill!" she exclaimed. "You have won the gloves; and you'll
deserve them before you have heard the last of this incident. I suppose
you don't know that you shouldn't have fired a shot except from behind
the butts."

She watched his expression with open amusement.

"You don't like to ask why I tempted you," she went on. "It was to vex
the keeper; you may have turned back the birds the beaters are driving
up."

"Thanks for the information," Lisle said coolly. "Do you mind my
inquiring whether you would have taken the sovereign in case I'd missed?
As you suggested, I'm lately from the wilds."

"Of course!" she mocked. "I could have had it drilled and worn it on a
chain!"

The man made n