"Why, how did you get as far as this?" she asked as he rode up. "The Murrays were to be by Price's Waterhole, or I was to wait for them there, and we were to meet you later."
He looked at her with an uneasy grin on his face and a shifty look in his watery eyes.
"I didn't think Nellie would care to come. I don't think she will, so I rode on for you. We can go right on together," he answered.
"You didn't think?" she asked. "What did Nellie say? It was her suggestion that——"
"Yes, I know; but—we don't want her. You come on alone. I'd rather you did. Mother won't want to have a crowd about the place. It's only you she wants to see," he said, interrupting her, and speaking quickly.
"And let them wait all day for me when I said I would meet them? What next?" Ailleen exclaimed; and as there was a suspicion of ruffled temper at his proposal, she sought her usual cure by moving her horse forwards, as she could not move about herself.
As the horse started, Dickson brought his round in front of it.
"Here, I say," he said, "it's no good playing the fool like that. We don't want the others. You come by yourself."
For answer Ailleen turned her horse round from him, and he strove to keep his in front of it, but failing, he leaned forward and caught hold of the bridle.
"I'm not going to be——" he began.