Presently he reached a point beyond which he was unable to carry his sketch, and, abandoning it, he began turning the pages of the book at first slowly, then with increased attention. At last he paused. His eyes narrowed and the perpendicular wrinkle on his forehead deepened. He read over some notes. He struck out a word here, inserted another there; then commenced to write rapidly on the margin of the page and for several minutes the scratching of his pencil continued. It was apparent that like a hunter he was running down his quarry, and leaping over many a ditch and rock in his excitement; it was apparent, too, that he had entered a world in which woman was unknown. Finally, Rachel's interest expressed itself in an involuntary sigh, and he raised his head with a dawning consciousness of her presence. Tiny drops of moisture, like diamond dust, glittered in her hair. He studied them; then met the brightness of her oval-shaped eye. In his turn embarrassed, he hitched his shoulders and laughed. "I forgot that you were here," he said. Until that moment she had not resented his indifference, but now, when he voiced it, she felt a hot sense of chagrin. He had, she considered, been pointedly lacking in courtesy. Moving away, she took up the rope of the cow. He got to his feet. "By Jove, I don't see how it happened," he said simply. It was the touch required. She halted and stood playing with the rope. "I got to thinking of this," he continued, and he laid his hand on the box to which the telephone receiver was attached. "It's something I've been working out. I want to test it. It's a fine coast for the purpose. Plenty of submerged rocks, I should say," and he gazed about him. She also swept the rolling leagues of misty emptiness, but with the glance of one who is familiar with them, then her eyes, wistful and unutterably intense, went to his. There was something about the life and mentality of this man that startled and stirred her, something in his appearance that seemed to speak of a nature unshackled, gigantic. "I asked that boy at the old barn up the road where I could get hold of a boat and someone to row," he continued, "but he didn't tell me." She turned from him. "I'll take you," she volunteered, "this afternoon." At this the stranger showed a row of brilliant teeth. "Why that--that's fine," he said. Once more his manner was gentle, almost caressing. To demonstrate his gratitude he tore from the book the sketch of the figure-head and presented it to her. She took it without exhibiting any emotion. Then, leading the cow, she disappeared around a boulder. A moment later, however, she appeared on its summit, and the cow pushed up behind her so that his first miraculous impression was repeated. "What time," she asked, "do you want to go?" He moved his lips without speaking; a magical light had dawned on his world. "Why, about three o'clock," he answered,--pausing between the words.