"I don't know her very well, of course; I've only passed a few words with her," he excused.
"And a few notes hung on the fence!" she said, not able to hide her scorn. "She's gone away laughing at you every time."
"I thought maybe peace and quiet could be established through her if she could be made to see things in a civilized way."
Vesta made no rejoinder at once. She put her foot on the step as if to leave him, withdrew it, faced him gravely.
"It's nothing to me, Duke, only I don't want to see her lead you into another fire. Keep your eyes open and your hand close to your gun when you're visiting with her."
She left him with that advice, given so gravely and honestly that it amounted to more than a warning. He felt that there was something more for him to say to make his position clear, but could not marshal his words. Vesta entered the house without looking back to where he stood, hat in hand, the moonlight in his fair hair.