Page:Son of the wind.djvu/109

RV 97 soon as they disappeared, leaving the reason doubtful they had ever existed. He had not had the reassurance of the audible word, which leaves an echo in the ear as well as in the mind, and gives a basis to think from. Not even that, yet the scholar who had come out to find him was evidently confidently expecting he had something to tell.

He drew a deep breath for his dive into unknown waters. He thrust his hands in his pockets, walked a little meditative half circle on the soft piny floor of the forest, and came to a stop square in front of Rader. "Well!" he said with a falling inflection.

"Well?" Rader replied interrogatively and smiling.

"You might have told me in the first place. You would have saved me some trouble."

Rader breathed a cloud of smoke, and waited.

"What does she want of the horse?" Carron said. quietly. He said it so quietly one could hardly think any risk attached to it or any suspense for him.

Rader took his little yellow-bowled pipe out of his mouth, "Didn't she tell you?"

The question fell pat and natural as if this were some old, often discussed matter which both understood well enough. Carron felt that he was smiling rather foolishly. He shook his head.

Rader's pipe, still suspended in his hand, sent up