removed the top. "Don't be absurd, Colina," he said with a weary air.

It was a transparent assumption. Colina saw that she had reduced him
utterly. She smiled winningly. "Dad, if you'd only let me be myself!
We could be such pals if you wouldn't try to play the heavy father!"

"Is it being yourself to act like a harum-scarum tomboy?" inquired
Gaviller sarcastically.

Colina laughed. "Yes!" she said boldly. "If that's what you want to
call it? There's something in me," she went on seriously. "I don't
know what it is--some wild strain; something that drives me headlong;
makes me see red when I am balked! Maybe it is just too much physical
energy.

"Well, if you let me work it off it does no harm. If I can ride all
day, or paddle or swim, or go hunting with Michel or one of the others;
and be interested in what I'm doing, and come home tired and sleep
without dreaming--why everything is all right. But if you insist on
cooping me up!--well, I'm likely to turn out something worse than
harum-scarum, that's all!"

Gaviller flung up his arms.

"Really, you'll have to go back to your aunt," he said grimly. "The
responsibility of looking after you is too great!"

Colina laughed out of sheer vexation. "The silly ideas fathers have!"
she cried. "Nobody can look after _me_, not you, not my aunt, nobody
but myself! Why won't you understand that! I don't know exactly what