face suddenly, and he lifted his hand to the top of his head. Was he
hurt THERE? No, but perhaps his hair, which was flowing and curly, had
caught in the branches--like Absalom's! He tried to smile, and even
begged them to assist him to his horse that he might follow his fair
companion, who would be wondering where he was; but Peter, satisfied
that he had received no serious injury, hurriedly enjoined him to stay,
while he himself would follow his sister. Putting spurs to his horse,
he succeeded, in spite of the slippery trail, in overtaking her near
the summit. At the sound of his horse's hoofs she wheeled quickly, came
dashing furiously towards him, and only pulled up at the sound of his
voice. But she had not time to change her first attitude and expression,
which was something which perplexed and alarmed him. Her long lithe
figure was half crouching, half clinging to the horse's back, her
loosened hair flying over her shoulders, her dark eyes gleaming with an
odd nymph-like mischief. Her white teeth flashed as she recognized
him, but her laugh was still mocking and uncanny. He took refuge in
indignation.
"What has happened?" he said sharply.
"The fool tried to kiss me!" she said simply. "And I--I--let out at
him--like mother!"
Nevertheless, she gave him one of those shy, timid glances he had
noticed before, and began coiling something around her fingers, with
a suggestion of coy embarrassment, indescribably inconsistent with her
previous masculine independence.
"You might have killed him," said Peter angrily.
"Perhaps I might! OUGHT I have killed him, Peter?" she said anxiously,
yet with the same winning, timid smile. If she had not been his sister,
he would have thought her quite handsome.
"As it is," he said impetuously, "you have made a frightful scandal
here."
"HE won't say anything about it--will he?" she inquired shyly, still
twisting the something around her finger.
Peter did not reply; perhaps the young lawyer really loved her and would
keep her secret! But he was vexed, and there was something maniacal in
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