"Of course," assented his wife. "But--I know what it is. We have offended him in some way. Yseulte, what have you done to offend Mr Vipan? I'm sure I can't call to mind anything." "There is no question of offence," protested Vipan. "I am a confirmed wanderer, you see, Mrs Winthrop--here to-day, away to-morrow. The country is clear of reds now, and you will no longer need our additional rifles. If we have rendered you some slight service, I can answer for it, my partner is as glad as I am myself." No man living was less liable to be swayed by caprice than the speaker. Yet suddenly he became as resolved to remain a little longer, as he had been a moment before to leave. And this change was brought about by the most trivial circumstance in the world. While he was speaking, his eyes had met those of Yseulte Santorex. Only for a moment, however. When Vipan, in his usual laconic manner, informed his comrade that he concluded to wait a bit longer, the latter merely remarked, "Right, pard. Jest as you fancy." But as he rolled over to go to sleep, he nodded off to the unspoken soliloquy-- "It's a rum start--a darn rum start. At his time of life, too! Yes, sir." CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN. IN THE "DUG-OUT." Yseulte Santorex was conscious of a new and unwonted sensation. She felt nervous. Yet why should she have felt so, seeing that this was by no means the first time she had undertaken an expedition _a deux_ under her present escort? But somehow it seemed to her that his tone had conveyed a peculiar significance when he suggested this early morning antelope-stalk at the time of making up his mind to remain. It was a lovely morning. The sun was not an hour high, and the air was delicious. But their success had been _nil_. To account for the absolute lack of game was a puzzle to Vipan, but it could hardly be the cause of his constrained taciturnity. Yseulte felt nervous. Why had he induced her to come out like this to-day? Instinctively she felt that he was on the eve of making some revelation. Was he about to confide to her the history of his past? Her nervousness deepened as it began to dawn upon her what an extraordinary fascination this adventurer of the Western Plains, with his splendid stature and magnificent face, was capable of exercising over her. A silence had fallen between them. "I want you to see this," said Vipan suddenly as they came upon the ruins of what had once been a strong and substantial building. "It's an old stage-station which was burnt by the reds in '67."