David Kildare caught those beasts that you didn't see one?"

"I was--was lost," she answered, and it surprised him that she didn't put
one rosy finger-tip into her mouth, so very young was her further
confusion.

"Alone?" The major made his demand without mercy.

"No, sir, with Mr. Sevier--why, aren't you going to have breakfast,
Major, it is almost church time?" and Caroline rallied her domestic
dignity to her support as she escaped toward Temple's domain.

And the flush of joy that had flamed in her cheeks had lighted a glow in
the major's weather-tanned old face and his eyes fairly snapped with
light. Could it be that the boy had reached out for his atonement? Could
it be--he heard the front door close as the first church bell struck a
deep note and at that moment Jeff announced his breakfast as ready in a
voice of the deepest exhaustion.

And when Caroline emerged from the still darkened house into the crisp
air she found Andrew Sevier standing on the front steps waiting to walk
into church with her.

Her smile of shy joy as she held out her hand to him warmed his somber
eyes for the moment.

"They are all asleep," she whispered as if even from the street there was
danger of awakening the tired hunting party. "The major is keeping it
quiet for them."