Darby saw the glint of tears under the thick lashes.
"If you could stay to hunt hounds with me, little Sprite!"
"Oh, if I could!"
Darby looked again. He had heard and seen several things which amazed him. He knew suddenly how he would miss the small pale face out hunting, the shining eyes which he saw whenever he looked over his shoulder; the admiration in them which he had never dreamt of seeing in any girl's again.
"Sprite, Sprite, you could not want to stay with Darby Dillon, who will limp through his life?"
Sorrow rolled up as mists caught by the sun. He knew now why he had felt Gheena's loss so lightly.
"Since you peered over my shoulder," he said unsteadily, "and tallied the squirrel, I think then..."
"Ever since you blew at the hounds," said Psyche. "If you would keep me here always, Darby!"
Andy, unseen, rode the Rat into view and remarked: "There's for ye now, an' the fox earthed," and rode out of view again thoughtfully.
"The sorra a dog will go home this day," he said to Barty; "so we'll be bilin' agin to-night, an' me name is not Andy."