"I'll take it," Leigh said, a strange light glowing in her eyes and a firm line settling about her red lips. Champers couldn't realize an hour later how it was all done, nor why with such a poor bargain for himself he should feel such satisfaction as he saw Leigh Shirley and Thaine Aydelot driving down the road toward Little Wolf together. Neither could he understand why the perfume of white lilac blossoms from the bush in the back yard of his office should seem so sweet this morning. He was not a flower lover. But he felt the two hundred dollars of good money in his pocket and chuckled as he forecasted the hour of Thomas Smith's discovery. "This is a shadier road than the one I came over this morning," Leigh said as she and Thaine followed the old trail toward Little Wolf Creek. "It's a little nearer, too, and you'll see by casting a glimpse westward that things are doing over Grass River way," Thaine replied. Leigh saw that a sullen black cloud bank was heaving above the western horizon and felt the heated air of the May afternoon. "I don't like storms when I'm away from home," she said. "Are you afraid, like Jo Bennington? She has the terrors over them. We were out once when she nearly bankrupted everything, she was so scared." Thaine recalled a stormy night when Jo had clung to his arm to the danger of both of them and the frightened horse he could hardly control. "No, I'm not afraid. I just don't like being blown about. I am glad I happened to find you, to be blown about, too, if it's necessary," Leigh replied. "'Happened' is a good word, Leigh. You happened on what I managed you should, else that long circus performance with Mademoiselle Rosella Gimpkello, famous bareback rider, had not been put on the sawdust this hot day." "What are you saying, Thaine Aydelot?" Leigh asked. "You said last night you were coming over here today and that after you had come you might need my advice. Me for the place where my advice is needed ever, on land or water. Rosie's hand isn't fit to use yet. I knew that was a nasty glass cut, so I met her in the hall upstairs early this morning and persuaded her to come over today. It gave me the excuse I wanted--to get here by mere happening." "And leave Mrs. Aydelot all the cleaning up to do. Humane son!" Leigh exclaimed. "Oh, Jo stayed all night, and I stopped at Todd Stewart's place and persuaded him down to help mother and Jo. It wasn't hard work to get him persuaded, either." "Aren't you jealous of Todd?" Leigh asked, with a demure curve of her lip. "Ought I be? He hasn't anything I want," Thaine retorted. "No, he's a farmer. Some folks don't like farmers." "I don't blame them," Thaine said thoughtlessly. "I haven't much use for a farm myself. But Leigh, am I an unnecessary evil? I really turned 'Rory Rumpus' and 'rode a raw-boned racer' clear over here just to be ready to help you. I wish now I'd stayed home and dried the knives and forks and spoons for my mammie."