Blair was a little embarrassed.  “Of course, I don’t mean your heroism—­like that story of the intruder and the scissors,” he stammered.

“Oh, that’s the worst of all!  It’s too foolish—­it’s sickening!” she went on almost angrily.  “I don’t know who started that stuff.”  She paused, and then added shyly, “I really am an awful coward and horribly nervous—­as you know.”

He would have combated this—­but she looked really disturbed, and he had no desire to commit another imprudence.  And he thought, too, that he again had seen in her eyes the same hopeful, wistful light he had once seen before, and was happy.

This led him, I fear, to indulge in wilder dreams.  His practice, although increasing, barely supported him, and the widow was rich.  Her business had been profitable, and she had repaid the advances made her when she first took the hotel.  But this disparity in their fortunes which had frightened him before now had no fears for him.  He felt that if he succeeded in winning her affections she could afford to wait for him, despite other suitors, until his talents had won an equal position.  His rivals had always felt as secure in his poverty as they had in his peaceful profession.  How could a poor, simple doctor aspire to the hand of the rich widow of the redoubtable MacGlowrie?

It was late one afternoon, and the low sun was beginning to strike athwart the stark columns and down the long aisles of the redwoods on the High Ridge.  The doctor, returning from a patient at the loggers’ camp in its depths, had just sighted the smaller groves of Laurel Springs, two miles away.  He was riding fast, with his thoughts filled with the widow, when he heard a joyous bark in the underbrush, and Fluffy came bounding towards him.  Blair dismounted to caress him, as was his wont, and then, wisely conceiving that his mistress was not far away, sauntered forward exploringly, leading his horse, the dog hounding before him and barking, as if bent upon both leading and announcing him.  But the latter he effected first, for as Blair turned from the trail into the deeper woods, he saw the figures of a man and woman walking together suddenly separate at the dog’s warning.  The woman was Mrs. MacGlowrie—­the man was the revival preacher!

Amazed, mystified, and indignant, Blair nevertheless obeyed his first instinct, which was that of a gentleman.  He turned leisurely aside as if not recognizing them, led his horse a few paces further, mounted him, and galloped away without turning his head.  But his heart was filled with bitterness and disgust.  This woman—­who but a few days before had voluntarily declared her scorn and contempt for that man and his admirers—­had just been giving him a clandestine meeting like one of the most infatuated of his devotees!  The story of the widow’s fainting, the coarse surmises and comments of Slocum, came back to him with overwhelming significance.  But even then his reason forbade him to believe that she had fallen under the preacher’s influence—­she, with her sane mind and indolent temperament.  Yet, whatever her excuse or purpose was, she had deceived him wantonly and cruelly!  His abrupt avoidance of her had prevented him from knowing if she, on her part, had recognized him as he rode away.  If she had, she would understand why he had avoided her, and any explanation must come from her.