Page:Neith Boyce--The bond.djvu/346

344 "Horrid little thing!" she cried. "Who would have thought it was such a monster as that! I was sure I could do it easily."

"Next time you'll know better. I was a fool to let you try it," said Crayven grimly. He took her drinking-cup and brought some water from the stream. Teresa drank and smiled at him pensively.

"Were we really in danger?" she asked.

"Oh, we might have got a very nasty fall—and there wouldn't have been any first aid to the injured."

"Well, why did you let me do it, then? You said it was dangerous."

"That's right—blame me. I told you I was a fool. Always have been—epecially [sic] where women are concerned—and they know it."

"Well," said Teresa, confidentially, "I have never known a nice man who wasn't."

"Thank you for the adjective. When you've rested a bit we'd better go down to the chalet and get some warm milk. I thought you were going to faint when I'd got you down."

"Nonsense, that would have been too tactless. I feel perfectly all right, except that my shoulder is strained and I'm covered with bruises and my hands are cut. I shouldn't mind if only I'd got to the top. I hate having to pay for something I haven't got."

"Then you shouldn't want something you