"I've made myself hot. This looks a nice place to spend a minute or two. Will you keep me company a little while? I must soon go on."
Maud dismounted, the better to push matters forward. As she patted the old horse she looked about for a seat. A fallen tree lay at hand, and she dropped the reins upon the ground and sat down upon it. Moll Gregory stood where she was, her eyes wide open. It seemed solitude had not taught her to be shy. It occurred to Maud she must not delay. At any moment the father or mother might come out of the doorway and opportunity be gone.
"You have a lovely place to live in," she said. "But you must find it out of the way. It's a long fag to Surprise."
"It's a treat for us. There isn't too much doing round here."
"I dare say. But loneliness has not kept you quite hidden. You are better known than you may think. I had heard of you before we met to-day. You are Moll Gregory, aren't you? You know a friend of mine. Mr. Power, of Kaloona. He told me about you once. He said he had met you in his travels."
The eyes which looked at her big with curiosity fell asleep all in a moment. But the change made their loveliness no less lovely.
"Yes, I know Mr. Power."
"I'm a great friend of his. We have been friends a long time. Almost brother and sister. We tell each other most secrets."
She wished the girl would say something. But instead, Moll Gregory continued to stand before her, beautiful and sulky. It was the sense of hurry in the matter that found her courage to go on. "Yes, we are pretty staunch friends," she said desperately. She took courage in both hands. "He told me how fond he had become of you lately."
"Mr. Power is a poor sort of feller to go running about with tales."