"But it will help," she cried brightly, an optimist by force of necessity.
They stopped the cart and bargained for a ride to Ronn. The man was a farmer, slow and suspicious. He haggled.
"The country's full of evil men and women these days," he demurred. "Besides I have a heavy enough load as it is for my poor beasts."
Miss Tullis conducted the negotiations, making the best of her year's acquaintance with the language of the country.
"Don't tell him why we are in such a hurry," cautioned King. "He may be a Marlanx sympathiser."
"You have nothing in your cart but melons," she said to the farmer, peeping under the corner of the canvas covering.
"I am not going through Ronn, but by the high road to Edelweiss," he protested. "A good ten kilometers."
"But carry us until we come up with some one who can give us horses."
"Horses!" he croaked. "Every horse in the valley is in Edelweiss by this time. This is the great day there. The statue of—"
"Yes, yes, I know. We are bound for Edelweiss. Can you get us there in two hours?"