As Colina approached the edge of the bank she heard a voice.  She herself made no sound in the grass.

Looking over the edge she saw a man and a dog on the stony beach below, both with their backs to her and oblivious of her approach.  Of the man, she had a glimpse only of a broad blue flannel back and a mop of black hair.

She heard him say to the dog:  “Our last meal alone, old fel’!  To-night, if we’re lucky, we’ll dine with her!”

This conveyed nothing to Colina—­she was to remember it later.

In speaking he turned his profile, and she received an agreeable shock; he was young; he was not common; he had a fair, pink skin that contrasted oddly with his swarthy locks; his bold profile accorded with her fancy.

What caught her off her guard was his affectionate, quizzical glance at the dog.

It was a seductive glimpse of a stern face softened.

The dog scented her and barked; the man turning sprang to his feet.  Colina experienced a sudden and extraordinary confusion of her faculties.

He was taller than she expected—­that was not it; in the glance of his eager dark eyes there was a quality that took her completely by surprise—­that took her breath away.  This in one of the sex she condescended to!

The young man was completely dumfounded by the sight of her.  He hung in suspended motion; his wide eyes leaped to hers—­and clung there.  They silently gazed at each other—­each with much the same pained and breathless look.

Colina struggled hard against the spell.  She was badly flustered.  “Please catch my horse for me,” she said with, under the circumstances, intolerable hauteur.

He did not move.  She saw a dull, red tide creep up from his neck, over his face and into his hair.  She had never seen such a painful blush.  He kept his head up, and though his eyes became agonized with embarrassment, they clung doggedly to hers.

She knew intuitively that he blushed because he fancied that she, from his rough clothes, had judged him to be a common tramp.

She was glad of it—­his blush gave her a little security.

But she could not support his glance.  She all but stamped her foot as she said:  “Didn’t you hear me?”

With a visible effort the young man collected his wits, and with unsmiling face started to climb toward Colina.  The dog, making to follow him, he spoke a word of command and it returned to the boat.  Face to face with him Colina felt as if his glowing dark eyes were burning holes in her.

“Where is he?” he asked soberly.

Colina merely pointed across the bottoms where Ginger could be seen still busy with the grass.

“I’ll bring him to you,” he said coolly, and started off.

His assurance exasperated Colina.  “It isn’t as easy as you think,” she said haughtily, “or I shouldn’t have asked for help!”

He turned his head, his face suddenly breaking into a beaming smile.  “I know horses,” he said.