"I expect you'll have to listen to what I've got to say, ma'am."

"Are you going to scold me? Was I precipitate? Perhaps you were
attempting suicide. Forgive, I pray."

He ignored her raillery, and told her what he thought of a courage so
fine and ready. He permitted a smile to temper his praise, as he added:
"You mustn't go jumping in the river after strangers if you don't want
them to say, 'Thank you kindly.' You find four out of five of them want
to, don't you?"

"It is not yet a habit of mine. You're the first"

"I hope I'll be the last."

She began to wring out the bottom of her skirt, and he was on his knees
at once to do it for her.

"That will do very nicely," she presently said, the color billowing her
cheeks.

He gathered wood and lit a fire, being fortunate enough to find his
match-case had been waterproof. He piled on dry branches till the fire
roared and licked out for the moisture in their clothes.

"I've been wondering how you happened to see me in the water," he said.
"You were riding past, I expect?"

"No, I was sketching. I saw you when you came up to eat your lunch, and