"Have you," she asked cynically, "always been so straight that you don't know what temptation means? Have you never wanted anything so much that you--"

"That I wanted to steal? No; not even to steal your affections when I thought they belonged to Jo. I will spare you exposure. When I return the ring to Hebler I will tell him it was found on the floor by a servant."

"Thank you," she said meekly. "If he knew I were here, he'd know who the 'servant' was. What do you propose to do with me now? Return the goods to Bender, or squeal on me to Hebby?"

"I don't know until I have talked it over with Mrs. Kingdon."

"That is very considerate and fair in you," she commended. "Some way I feel confident she will think I should have another chance. You owe me something. 'Kind Kurt,'" she continued lightly, with a return of the flippancy that had so jarred him on their first meeting, "suppose I had been weak enough to accept your proposal last night? I knew my lapses too well and was too considerate of your happiness to say 'yes.' Suppose I had. Would your sense of honor have been equal to the sacrifice of keeping faith with me? No; I see by your face it would not have been. So you see your love--your _man's_ love, isn't great enough for even a thief to consider."

"Give me the ring," he said coldly.

"No; I prefer to return it myself. I'll take my chances with Hebby. Even he isn't as merciless as you. And as I said, his claim is prior to yours.

I never expected to take refuge with Hebby! Where is he now?"

"He has gone to the garage. Wait! You shall not go."

He put out a detaining arm, under which she ducked and fled nimbly down the stairs and out to the door. She heard him pursuing, but she jumped on Francis' wheel which stood near and was soon coasting down the driveway to the garage.

"Hebby! Oh--oh, Hebby!" she called to the man sauntering at some distance ahead of her.

"The thief!" he exclaimed as she came up to him and dismounted. "So, at last I've found you!"

"_Found_ me! Well, I like that! Here I come chasing after you and doing the finding myself. Really lost your ring this time, Hebby? Didn't seem like your 'code' to mention your loss to so new an acquaintance. Sort of a breach, wasn't it?"

He flushed shamefacedly, but his discomfiture, short-lived, was succeeded by a broad grin.

"Then it was _you_ who took it! That tall, solemn guy seemed to think he could recover it, but I am more delighted at recovering you than a hundred rings."

"May I keep it, Hebby?"

"You always said you detested that ring--that it was very parvenu and so forth. But what are you doing up here, and how did you get in with these folks?"

"Can't a thief break in anywhere? It's far more surprising how _you_ got in."

"You'll not escape me again. You'll go with me when I leave."

"Thank you, Hebby. I'm through here. Will you do me a favor?"

"You don't deserve favors."

"You never did favor the deserving, you know. Will you tell the 'tall, solemn guy' that you have your ring all right? I'll see you get it. I haven't it on me. But this is the real favor. No one here, except Mrs.

Kingdon and one of the men on the place, knows very much about my chequered career and they only know me by my baptismal name."

"Which I'm not sure that I know, Meg. You have so many names."

"I took my own as a perfect disguise. It's Penelope Lamont."

"Fine name. I'll make a note of it for future use. I'll keep your secret if you'll not try to run away again. You haven't told me how you came here."

"I was--apprehended. But I am not on a thief's errand. It's for a reason apart from my other life. You know, Hebby, thieves do have a code of honor."

"You are the one and only thief! I take off my hat to you. Say, how did that tall guy know you had it?"

"He didn't. He suspected someone else. You can have it back, Hebby. It's so garish it puts my eyes out. I didn't want it. I just wanted to steal it."

"Ruling pa.s.sion, Meg."

"No; you're way off. Here comes the 'solemn guy.' Tell him I found it and returned it to you."

Just then Kingdon drove around the curve.

"Glad to see you again, Miss Pen. I thought you had forsaken us. I see you've made Mr. Hebler's acquaintance. But I must take him away from you for a while."

As Hebler got into the car, Kurt came up.

"Oh, Mr. Walters, I'm happy to say I have my ring. Meg--Miss Lamont saw it and took it for a joke on me. Sorry I mentioned it."

A little wave of remorse swept over Pen for a second as she turned to Kurt and saw the look in his eyes when the two men had driven off.

"He seemed to have an air of proprietorship," he said jealously. "Has he really a legal right to take you away?"

"Looks that way. Mrs. Kingdon thought so. I never could get legal stuff through my head. It was for an offense committed long ago, but not outlawed. There is something I want to say to you. Last night you asked me to marry you. Don't look so afraid of the cars! I am not going to sue you for breach of promise. I wouldn't marry the grandest man living unless he loved me supremely--enough, at least, to overlook the stealing of a ring.

Kurt," she added after a pause, "did it occur to you I might have had a reason for stealing that ring? To put you to the test--your love, I mean--before answering you?"

"Pen--"

"Never mind, now. Jo wouldn't have gone back on me if he had been my lover. There's the ideal lover for you. There's one thing I didn't try to steal up here--Jo from Marta. Well, it's all over now, and I am going back--back with Hebby."

"You are not going away with that man," he said hotly. "Mrs. Kingdon arrives to-day. She will find a way out."

"I think not. You don't know Hebby. I think I want to go with him."

"You see," he said looking at her wistfully, "you didn't love me--"

"Then we're quits," she laughed, jumping quickly on the wheel and speeding toward the house.

"The beans are sure spilled now," she thought, when she had gained her room. "I've outwitted Kurt, and I must give Hebby the same treatment, but how can I make my getaway? Hebby in town--and such a small town. They took the racer. The big car is out of commission. Sandy rode to the corral in Kurt's shebang. No horse leaves the stables without Kurt's O. K. Oh, for the wings of a dove! There's my inspiration! I know some better wings than a dove's. I'll telephone Larry and literally fly from here."

She went into Mrs. Kingdon's room where there was an extension telephone and called up Larry at the hotel. Fortunately he was within call.

"Want to do something for me Larry, dear? Hebby is here! I'm in a mix-up as I generally am. No way out unless you'll fly to me up here. I mean it.

Inquire the way to Westcott's ranch--the next beyond Top Hill where I am.

Land by a big red-roofed barn--only red roof in vicinity. I'll be there at three this afternoon, and be yours forever after if you'll have me. I knew I could count on you. This is really serious, Larry. If you love me, don't fail me."

She hung up the receiver with a sigh of relief.

"To think of falling back on Larry whom I used to consider a lightweight.

He is my last ditch, and then I'm off by the overhill and skyville route.

In the meantime I'll make some ma.n.u.script memoirs to leave behind."