There was one direction which she had not tried, and it lay along a bridle path, but whether north or south or east or west she was utterly unable to determine. She felt quite certain that Estwich could not lie either way along that bridle-path which stretched almost a straight, dark way under the trees as far as she could see. Vexed, yet amused, at her own stupid plight, she was standing in the road, trying to make up her mind to try it, when, far down the vista, a horseman appeared, coming on at a leisurely canter; and with a sigh of relief she saw her troubles already at an end. He drew bridle abreast of her, stared, sprang from his saddle and, cap in hand, came up to her holding out his hand: "Miss West!" he exclaimed. "How on earth did you ever find your way into my woods?" "I don't know, Mr. Cardemon," she said, thankful to encounter even him in her dilemma. "I must have walked a great deal farther than I meant to." "You've walked at least five miles if you came by road; and nobody knows how far if you came across country," he said, staring at her out of his slightly prominent eyes. "I did come across country. And if you will be kind enough to start me toward home--" "You mean to _walk_ back!" "Of course I do." "I won't permit it!" he exclaimed. "It's only a little way across to the house and we'll just step over and I'll have a car brought around for you--" "Thank you, I am not tired--" "You are on my land, therefore you are my guest," he insisted. "I am not going to let you go back on foot--" "Mr. Cardemon, if you please, I very much prefer to return in my own way." "What an obstinate girl you are!" he said, with his uncertain laugh, which never came until he had prejudged its effect on the situation; but the puffy flesh above his white riding-stock behind his lobeless ears reddened, and a slow, thickish colour came into his face and remained under the thick skin. "If you won't let me send you back in a car," he said, "you at least won't refuse a glass of sherry and a biscuit--" "Thank you--I haven't time--" "My housekeeper, Mrs. Munn, is on the premises," he persisted. "You are very kind, but--" "Oh, don't turn a man down so mercilessly, Miss West!" "You are exceedingly amiable," she repeated, "but I must go at once." He switched the weeds with his crop, then the uncertain laugh came: "I'll show you a short cut," he said. His prominent eyes rested on her, passed over her from head to foot, then wandered askance over the young woodland. "In which direction lies Estwich?" she asked, lifting her gaze to meet his eyes; but they avoided her as he answered, busy fumbling with a girth that required no adjustment: "Over yonder,"--making a slight movement with his head. Then taking his horse by the head he said heartily: "Awfully sorry you won't accept my hospitality; but if you won't you won't, and we'll try to find a short cut."