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 "Does Pearson's wife still ride with the pack train?" he asked presently.

"Always," Almayne growled. "Ugly Meg is Jock's right-hand man—be damned to her, though she's better than most women."

Lachlan smiled. "You were always a hater of women, Almayne," he said, "which is unfortunate, seeing that there will be two women with us on this journey."

"Two women!" the hunter exclaimed. "Meg Pearson and who else?"

"Mistress Jolie Stanwicke," Lachlan answered.

Almayne's eyes widened with amazement.

"Eh, lad, are you daft? In the first place, she would not come. In the second place, how do you propose to get her out of Stanwicke Hall? And in the third place"

"She will come," Lachlan interrupted. "As for the other problem, we must find a way."

"So!" said the hunter dryly, and shouted to the black boy to bring the ale.