"Did yez obsarve the bie ramove the hat from the lady, and his pony shootin' gravel into our eyes fit to smother?" shouted O'Dowd, using the flat of his hand as a sounding-board to Thompson. "You bet, Pat; and keeping the gait he could take a shoe off her horse, if she wanted it done." "They say seein's believin', but Oi'll not be afther tellin' the story in quarters. Oi'm eaight year in the ahrmy, and Oi can lie whin it's convanient." The dogs overhauled the unfortunate little wolf despite its gallant efforts, and it came out of the snarling mass, as some wag had expressed it, "like a hog going to war--in small pieces." The field closed up and dismounted, soldier fashion, at the halt. "What's the matter with the pony to-day, Ermine? Expected you'd be ahead of the wolf at least," sang out Lewis. "I stopped to pick up a hat," he explained; but Captain Lewis fixed his calculating eye on his man and bit his mustache. Events had begun to arrange themselves; that drunken night and Ermine's apathy toward the Englishman's hunting-party--and he had stopped to pick up her hat--oho! Without a word the scout regained his seat and loped away toward the post, and Lewis watched him for some time, in a brown study; but a man of his years often fails to give the ardor of youth its proper value, so his mind soon followed more natural thoughts. "Your horse is not a very rapid animal, I observe, Miss Searles," spoke Butler. "Did you observe that? I did not notice that you were watching me, Mr. Butler." "Oh, I must explain that in an affair of this kind I am expected to sustain the reputation of the cavalry. I forced myself to the front." "Quite right. I kept the only man in the rear, who was capable of spoiling your reputation; you are under obligations to me." "That wild man, you mean. He certainly has a wonderful pony, but you need not trouble about him if it is to please me only." "I find this sun becoming too insistent; I think I will go back," said Katherine Searles. Many of the women also turned their horses homeward, leaving only the more pronounced types of sportsmen to search for another wolf. "Having sustained the cavalry, I'll accompany you, Katherine." "Miss Searles, please!" she said, turning to him, and the little gem of a nose asserted itself. "Oh, dear me! What have I done? You permitted me to call you Katherine only last night." "Yes, but I do not propose to divide my friendship with a nasty little gray wolf which has been eaten up alive." The officer ran his gauntlet over his eyes. "I am such a booby. I see my mistake, Miss Searles, but the idea you advance seems so ridiculous--to compare yourself with a wolf." "Oh, I say, Miss Searles," said Shockley, riding up, "may I offer you one of my gauntlets? The sun, I fear, will blister your bare hand." "No, indeed." And Butler tore off a glove, forcing it into her hand. She could not deny him, and pulled it on. "Thank you; I lost one of mine this morning."