The thud of hoofs grew louder, and the dim figure of a mounted man grew out of the prairie. A little thrill ran through her as she watched him swing past at a canter and draw rein between the house and the stables. He waited a moment as though looking for somebody in whose care to leave the horse, and Carrie could see that he was weary and dusty. Though his face was dimly visible, she fancied it was drawn and grey. Slanting over his shoulder, the barrel of his Marlin rifle glinted in the moon. "That," said Eveline Annersly, "is, I think, more suggestive than ever of the border spear." She glanced at Carrie as the girl rose and went down the stairway. Then Eveline Annersly turned to Urmston with a little smile. "I scarcely think they will want us, and I'm going in," she said. Urmston had moved into the moonlight now, and his face was set. "There is, of course, no reason why you shouldn't, but I'm not sure that you are entirely right," he said. "In fact, if it's permissible to mention it, I had a notion that Carrie asked you here to make the convenient third." His companion looked at him with a faint gleam in her eyes. "You haven't any great penetration, after all, or you would have seen that I have outstayed my usefulness. In any case, I feel inclined to favour you with a piece of advice. It may save you trouble if you go back to your agricultural duties as soon as possible." "You seem unusually anxious to get rid of me," said the man, with something in his tone that suggested satisfaction. Eveline Annersly laughed as she rose and moved back into the shadow. "Oh, dear no! If I were really anxious, the thing would be remarkably easy." She left him with this, and Urmston, who leant somewhat moodily on the balustrade, felt that his love for her was certainly no greater than it had been before. He began to feel himself especially unfortunate in having fallen in with the rustler. In the meanwhile, Leland, who started as he saw the girl coming towards him, swung himself out of the saddle and stood awaiting her, with the bridle of the jaded horse in his hand. His face was worn and weary, and he stood slackly with all the springy suppleness apparently gone out of him. The grime was thick upon his coarse blue shirt and jean jacket. "It was very good of you to wait so long," he said. Carrie smiled in a curious fashion. "Did you expect me to sleep?" "You were a little anxious about me, then?" "Of course!" said the girl, softly. "Wouldn't it have been unnatural if I hadn't been?" Leland made an abrupt gesture. "My dear, I don't want you to do the natural or the correct thing, that is, just because it is so." "Ah," said Carrie, "who can tell exactly why they do anything? Still, I was anxious. How have you got on?"