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succeeded in forcing the door open in spite of Miss Porter's
superior strategy； andI fear I must add； muscle alsoand threw
himself passionately at Hornsby's throat； where he hung on and
calmly awaited dissolution。 But he had； in the onset； driven
Hornsby out into the road and the moonlight。
〃Here！ Somebody take my lines。〃 The voice was 〃Mountain
Charley's；〃 the driver。 The figure that jumped from the box and
separated the struggling men belonged to this singularly direct
person。
〃You're riding inside？〃 said Charley； interrogatively； to Cass。
Before he could reply Miss Porter's voice came from the window。
〃He is！〃
Charley promptly bundled Cass into the coach。
〃And YOU？〃 to Hornsby； 〃onless you're kalkilatin' to take a little
'pasear' you're booked OUTSIDE。 Get up。〃
It is probable that Charley assisted Mr。 Hornsby as promptly to his
seat； for the next moment the coach was rolling on。
Meanwhile Cass； by reason of his forced entry； had been deposited
in Miss Porter's lap； whence； freeing himself； he had attempted to
climb over the middle seat； but in the starting of the coach was
again thrown heavily against her hat and shoulder； all of which was
inconsistent with the attitude of dignified reserve he had intended
to display。 Miss Porter； meanwhile； recovered her good humor。
〃What a brute he was； ugh！〃 she said； retying the ribbons of her
bonnet under her square chin； and smoothing out her linen duster。
Cass tried to look as if he had forgotten the whole affair。 〃Who？
Oh； yes I see！〃 he responded； absently。
〃I suppose I ought to thank you；〃 she went on with a smile； 〃but
you know； really； I could have kept him out if you hadn't pulled
his wrist from outside。 I'll show you。 Look！ Put your hand on
the handle there！ Now； I'll hold the lock inside firmly。 You see；
you can't turn the catch！〃
She indeed held the lock fast。 It was a firm hand； yet softtheir
fingers had touched over the handleand looked white in the
moonlight。 He made no reply； but sank back again in his seat with
a singular sensation in the fingers that had touched hers。 He was
in the shadow； and； without being seen； could abandon his reserve
and glance at her face。 It struck him that he had never really
seen her before。 She was not so tall as she had appeared to be。
Her eyes were not large； but her pupils were black； moist； velvety；
and so convex as to seem embossed on the white。 She had an
indistinctive nose； a rather colorless facewhiter at the angles
of the mouth and nose through the relief of tiny freckles like
grains of pepper。 Her mouth was straight； dark； red； but moist as
her eyes。 She had drawn herself into the corner of the back seat；
her wrist put through and hanging over the swinging strap； the easy
lines of her plump figure swaying from side to side with the motion
of the coach。 Finally； forgetful of any presence in the dark
corner opposite； she threw her head a little farther back； slipped
a trifle lower； and placing two well…booted feet upon the middle
seat； completed a charming and wholesome picture。
Five minutes elapsed。 She was looking straight at the moon。 Cass
Beard felt his dignified reserve becoming very much like
awkwardness。 He ought to be coldly polite。
〃I hope you're not flustered； Miss； by theby the〃 he began。
〃I？〃 She straightened herself up in the seat； cast a curious
glance into the dark corner； and then； letting herself down again；
said： 〃Oh； dear； no！〃
Another five minutes elapsed。 She had evidently forgotten him。
She might； at least； have been civil。 He took refuge again in his
reserve。 But it was now mixed with a certain pique。
Yet how much softer her face looked in the moonlight！ Even her
square jaw had lost that hard； matter…of…fact； practical indication
which was so distasteful to him； and always had suggested a harsh
criticism of his weakness。 How moist her eyes wereactually
shining in the light！ How that light seemed to concentrate in the
corner of the lashes； and then slippeda flashaway！ Was she？
Yes； she was crying。
Cass melted。 He moved。 Miss Porter put her head out of the window
and drew it back in a moment； dry…eyed。
〃One meets all sorts of folks traveling；〃 said Cass； with what he
wished to make appear a cheerful philosophy。
〃I dare say。 I don't know。 I never before met any one who was
rude to me。 I have traveled all over the country alone； and with
all kinds of people ever since I was so high。 I have always gone
my own way； without hindrance or trouble。 I always do。 I don't
see why I shouldn't。 Perhaps other people mayn't like it。 I do。
I like excitement。 I like to see all that there is to see。
Because I'm a girl I don't see why I cannot go out without a
keeper； and why I cannot do what any man can do that isn't wrong；
do you？ Perhaps you doperhaps you don't。 Perhaps you like a
girl to be always in the house dawdling or thumping a piano or
reading novels。 Perhaps you think I'm bold because I don't like
it； and won't lie and say I do。〃
She spoke sharply and aggressively； and so evidently in answer to
Cass's unspoken indictment against her； that he was not surprised
when she became more direct。
〃You know you were shocked when I went to fetch that Hornsby； the
coroner； after we found the dead body。〃
〃Hornsby wasn't shocked；〃 said Cass； a little viciously。
〃What do you mean？〃 she said； abruptly。
〃You were good friends enough until〃
〃Until he insulted me just now； is that it？〃
〃Until he thought；〃 stammered Cass； 〃that because you wereyou
knownot sososo careful as other girls； he could be a little
freer。〃
〃And so； because I preferred to ride a mile with him to see
something real that had happened； and tried to be useful instead of
looking in shop windows in Main Street or promenading before the
hotel〃
〃And being ornamental；〃 interrupted Cass。 But this feeble and un…
Cass…like attempt at playful gallantry met with a sudden check。
Miss Porter drew herself together； and looked out of the window。
〃Do you wish me to walk the rest of the way home？〃
〃No；〃 said Cass； hurriedly； with a crimson face and a sense of
gratuitous rudeness。
〃Then stop that kind of talk； right there！〃
There was an awkward silence。 〃I wish I was a man；〃 she said； half
bitterly； half earnestly。 Cass Beard was not old and cynical
enough to observe that this devout aspiration is usually uttered by
those who have least reason to deplore their own femininity； and；
but for the rebuff he had just received； would have made the usual
emphatic dissent of our sex； when the wish is uttered by warm red
lips and tender voicesa dissent； it may be remarked； generally
withheld； however； when the masculine spinster dwells on the
perfection of woman。 I dare say Miss Porter was sincere； for a
moment later she continued； poutingly：
〃And yet I used to go to fires in Sacramento when I was only ten
years old。 I saw the theatre burnt down。 Nobody found fault with
me then。〃
Something made Cass ask if her father and mother objected to her
boyish tastes。 The reply was characteristic if not satisfactory；
〃Object？ I'd like to see them do it。〃
The direction of the road had changed。 The fickle moon now
abandoned Miss Porter and sought out Cass on the front seat。 It
caressed the young fellow's silky moustache and long eyelashes； and
took some of the sunburn from his cheek。
〃What's the matter with your neck？〃 said the girl； suddenly。
Cass looked down； blushing to find that the collar of his smart
〃duck〃 sailor shirt was torn open。 But something more than his
white； soft； girlish skin was exposed； the shirt front was dyed
quite red with blood from a slight cut on the shoulder。 He
remembered to have felt a scratch while struggling with Hornsby。
The girl's soft eyes sparkled。 〃Let ME；〃 she said； vivaciously。
〃Do！ I'm good at wounds。 Come over here。 Nostay there。 I'll
come over to you。〃
She did； bestriding the back of the middle seat and dropping at his
side。 The magnetic fingers again touched his； he felt her warm
breath on his neck as she bent toward him。
〃It's nothing；〃 he said； hastily； more agitated by the treatment
than the wound。
〃Give me your flask；〃 she responded； without heeding。 A stinging
sensation as she bathed the edges of the cut with the spirit
brought him back to common sense again。 〃There；〃 she said；
skillfully extemporizing a bandage from her handkerchief and a
compress from his cravat。 〃Now； button your coat over your chest；
so； and don't take cold。〃 She insisted upon buttoning it for him；
greater even than the feminine delight in a man's strength is the
ministration to his weakness。 Yet； when this was finished； she
drew a little away from him in some embarrassmentan embarrassment
she wondered at； as his skin was finer；