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Helen wondered why the big pines grew so far on that plain and no farther Probably the growth had to do with snow, but, as the ground was level, she could not see why the edge of the woods should come just there

They rode into the forest

To Helen it seee, critical entrance into another world, which she was destined to know and to love The pines were big, brown-barked, seamed, and knotted, with no typical conforrew far apart Few small pines and little underbrush flourished beneath them The floor of this forest appeared rerass and wide brown areas of pine-needles These manifestly hat Roy had meant by pine- Helen was presently struck with the silence of the forest and the strange fact that the horses seldo of dead twig or thud of hoof on log Likewise she becaround And then she saw that the pine-ave like rubber cushions under the hoofs of the horses, and after they had passed sprang back to place again, leaving no track Helen could not see a sign of a trail they left behind Indeed, it would take a sharp eye to follow Dale through that forest This knowledge was infinitely coht had begun she felt a lessening of the weight upon mind and heart It left her free for soht have had in this wonderful ride under happier circu, too wild, too intense to mind what the circuan to suspect that the girl would welcome any adventure, and Helen knew surely now that Bo was a true Auchincloss For three long days Helen had felt a constraint hich heretofore she had been unfaed under dread But itat her veins to be set free to race and to burn

Bo loved action She had an eye for beauty, but she was not conte Dale drive the horses and hold them in rather close forue or pain Helen began to be aware of both, but not enough yet to limit her interest