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mantle thrown over her shoulders was dusty； the ribbons that tied
her hat under her round chin had become unloosed。 She advanced；
walking down the line of shadow directly towards him。
〃I am afraid I will have to trouble you once more；〃 she said with
a faint smile； which did not； however； reach her perplexed eyes。
〃Could you give me any kind of a conveyance that would take me to
San Jose at once？〃
The young man had started at the rustling of her dress in the
shavings； and turned eagerly。 The faintest indication of a loss of
interest was visible for an instant in his face； but it quickly
passed into a smile of recognition。 Yet she felt that he had
neither noticed any change in her appearance； nor experienced any
wonder at seeing her there at that hour。
〃I did not take a buggy from the house；〃 she went on quickly； 〃for
I left early； and did not want to disturb them。 In fact； they
don't know that I am gone。 I was worried at not hearing news from
my father in San Francisco since the earthquake； and I thought I
would run down to San Jose to inquire without putting them to any
trouble。 Anything will do that you have ready； if I can take it at
once。〃
Still without exhibiting the least surprise； Bent nodded
affirmatively； put down his tools； begged her to wait a moment； and
ran off in the direction of the cabin。 As he disappeared behind
the wheat； she lapsed quite suddenly against the work bench； but
recovered herself a moment later； leaning with her back against it；
her hands grasping it on either side； and her knit brows and
determined little face turned towards the road。 Then she stood
erect again； shook the dust out of her skirts； lifted her veil；
wiped her cheeks and brow with the corner of a small handkerchief；
and began walking up and down the length of the shed as Bent
reappeared。
He was accompanied by the man who had first led her through the
wheat。 He gazed upon her with apparently all the curiosity and
concern that the other had lacked。
〃You want to get to San Jose as quick as you can？〃 he said
interrogatively。
〃Yes；〃 she said quickly； 〃if you can help me。〃
〃You walked all the way from the major's here？〃 he continued；
without taking his eyes from her face。
〃Yes；〃 she answered with an affectation of carelessness she had not
shown to Bent。 〃But I started very early； it was cool and
pleasant； and didn't seem far。〃
〃I'll put you down in San Jose inside the hour。 You shall have my
horse and trotting sulky； and I'll drive you myself。 Will that
do？〃
She looked at him wonderingly。 She had not forgotten his previous
restraint and gravity； but now his face seemed to have relaxed with
some humorous satisfaction。 She felt herself coloring slightly；
but whether with shame or relief she could not tell。
〃I shall be so much obliged to you；〃 she replied hesitatingly； 〃and
so will my father； I know。〃
〃I reckon；〃 said the man with the same look of amused conjecture；
then； with a quick； assuring nod； he turned away； and dived into
the wheat again。
〃You're all right now； Miss Mallory；〃 said Bent； complacently。
〃Dawson will fix it。 He's got a good horse； and he's a good
driver； too。〃 He paused； and then added pleasantly； 〃I suppose
they're all well up at the house？〃
It was so evident that his remark carried no personal meaning to
herself that she was obliged to answer carelessly； 〃Oh； yes。〃
〃I suppose you see a good deal of Miss RandolphMiss Adele； I
think you call her？〃 he remarked tentatively； and with a certain
boyish enthusiasm； which she had never conceived possible to his
nature。
〃Yes；〃 she replied a little dryly； 〃she is the only young lady
there。〃 She stopped； remembering Adele's naive description of the
man before her； and said abruptly； 〃You know her； then？〃
〃A little；〃 replied the young man； modestly。 〃I see her pretty
often when I am passing the upper end of the ranch。 She's very
well brought up； and her manners are very refineddon't you think
so？and yet she's just as simple and natural as a country girl。
There's a great deal in education after all； isn't there？〃 he went
on confidentially； 〃and although〃he lowered his voice and looked
cautiously around him〃I believe that some of us here don't fancy
her mother much； there's no doubt that Mrs。 Randolph knows how to
bring up her children。 Some people think that kind of education is
all artificial； and don't believe in it； but I do！〃
With the consciousness that she was running away from these people
and the shameful disclosure she had heard last nightwith the
recollection of Adele's scandalous interpretation of her most
innocent actions and her sudden and complete revulsion against all
that she had previously admired in that household； to hear this man
who had seemed to her a living protest against their ideas and
principles； now expressing them and holding them up for emulation；
almost took her breath away。
〃I suppose that means you intend to fix Major Randolph's well for
him？〃 she said dryly。
〃Yes；〃 he returned without noticing her manner； 〃and I think I can
find that water again。 I've been studying it up all night； and do
you know what I'm going to do？ I am going to make the earthquake
that lost it help me to find it again。〃 He paused； and looked at
her with a smile and a return of his former enthusiasm。 〃Do you
remember the crack in the adobe field that stopped you yesterday？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the girl； with a slight shiver。
〃I told you then that the same crack was a split in the rock
outcrop further up the plain； and was deeper。 I am satisfied now；
from what I have seen； that it is really a rupture of the whole
strata all the way down。 That's the one weak point that the
imprisoned water is sure to find； and that's where the borer will
tap itin the new well that the earthquake itself has sunk。〃
It seemed to her now that she understood his explanation perfectly；
and she wondered the more that he had been so mistaken in his
estimate of Adele。 She turned away a little impatiently and looked
anxiously towards the point where Dawson had disappeared。 Bent
followed her eyes。
〃He'll be here in a moment； Miss Mallory。 He has to drive slowly
through the grain； but I hear the wheels。〃 He stopped； and his
voice took up its previous note of boyish hesitation。 〃By the way
I'llI'll be going up to the Rancho this afternoon to see the
major。 Have you any message for Mrs。 Randolphor forfor Miss
Adele？〃
〃No〃said Rose； hesitatingly； 〃andand〃
〃I see；〃 interrupted Bent； carelessly。 〃You don't want anything
said about your coming here。 I won't。〃
It struck her that he seemed to have no ulterior meaning in the
suggestion。 But before she could make any reply； Dawson
reappeared； driving a handsome mare harnessed to a light； spider…
like vehicle。 He had also assumed； evidently in great haste； a
black frock coat buttoned over his waistcoatless and cravatless
shirt； and a tall black hat that already seemed to be cracking in
the sunlight。 He drove up； at once assisted her to the narrow
perch beside him； and with a nod to Bent drove off。 His breathless
expedition relieved the leave…taking of these young people of any
ceremony。
〃I suppose；〃 said Mr。 Dawson； giving a half glance over his
shoulder as they struck into the dusty highway；〃I suppose you
don't care to see anybody before you get to San Jose？〃
〃No…o…o；〃 said Rose； timidly。
〃And I reckon you wouldn't mind my racin' a bit if anybody kem up？〃
〃No。〃
〃The mare's sort o' fastidious about takin' anybody's dust。〃
〃Is she？〃 said Rose； with a faint smile。
〃Awful；〃 responded her companion； 〃and the queerest thing of all
is； she can't bear to have any one behind her； either。〃
He leaned forward with his expression of humorous enjoyment of some
latent joke and did something with the reinsRose never could