The question was taken from my lips as Pan came out of the darkness behind
her and took me into his arms.

"Yes, she called you. I didn't think I'd see you. I was just going to leave
her for you and go my way; but trust women for secret communication," he
said as my arm slipped around his bare throat.

"Not see me?" I questioned.

"I never wanted to see you again until I came for you, Woman. I didn't
think I could stand it--to put you out of my arms again. I can't take you
with me to-night. I came miles out of my way to bring her to you, and I've
hurried them both cruelly. The calf is only two days old, but you do need
her badly to feed the chickens. Milk-fed chickens show a gain of thirty per
cent. over others. You can churn and get all the butter you need and feed
them the buttermilk."

"Do you suppose I can learn to milk and churn her?" I asked as I shrank a
bit closer in his arms from this new responsibility.

"Milk her and churn the milk," laughed Pan as he bent my head forward on
his arm, set his teeth in the back of my neck, and shook me like Peckerwood
Pup shakes the gray kitten when I'm not looking.

"Will you show me in the morning?"

"Woman, I have to run ten miles through the forest before daybreak, and I
don't know when I can come back to you. I know I ought to tell you things,
but I--I just can't. I demand of life that I be allowed to come for you and