"I--ah--Mr. Blake, would he be apt to follow me, if I told you distinctly I should rather be alone?"
"Would he? Well, I should rather guess not!" cried Blake, making no attempt to conceal his delight. "I'll give him a hint that'll make his hair curl. From now on, nobody climbs up this tree but you, without first asking your permission."
"Thank you, Mr. Blake! You are very kind."
"Kind to let you do more work! But say, I'll help out all I can on the other work. You know, Miss Jenny,--a rough fellow like me don't know how to say it, but he can think it just the same,--I'd do anything in the world for you!"
As he spoke, he held out his rough, powerful hand. She shrank back a little, and caught her breath in sudden fright. But when she met his steady gaze, her fear left her as quickly as it had come. She impulsively thrust out her hand, and he seized it in a grip that brought the tears to her eyes.
"Miss Jenny! Miss Jenny!" he murmured, utterly unconscious that he was hurting her, "you know now that I'm your friend, Miss Jenny!"
"Yes, Mr. Blake," she answered, blushing and drawing her hand free. "I believe you are a friend--I believe I can trust you."
"You can, by--Jiminy! But say," he continued, blundering with dense stupidity, "do you really mean that? Can you forgive me for being so confounded meddlesome, the other day, after the snake--"
He stopped short, for upon the instant she was facing him, as on that eventful day, scarlet with shame and anger.
"How dare you speak of it?" she cried. "You're--you're not a gentleman!"
Before he could reply, she turned and left him, walking rapidly and with her head held high. Blake stared after her in bewilderment.
"Well, what in--what in thunder have I done now?" he exclaimed. "Ladies are certainly mighty funny! To go off at a touch--and just when I thought we were going to be chums! But then, of course, I've the whole thing to learn about nice girls--like her!"
"I--ah--must certainly agree with you there, Blake," drawled Winthrope, from beside the nearest bush.
Blake turned upon him with savage fury: "You dirty sneak!--you _gentleman!_ You've been eavesdropping!"
The Englishman's yellow face paled to a sallow mottled gray. He had seen the same look in Blake's eyes twice before, and this time Blake was far more angry.