AT moments, the sight of Kincheloe hastening ahead of her lessened her feeling that he had taken part in some violent act during the night. She thought that if he had been guilty of what she dreaded, he would be afraid to go openly to the Rock.
He was on skis, as was she; but when he reached the shore and encountered the hummocks of hard-frozen snow and spray which everywhere fringed the lake ice, he removed his skis and turned about, delaying. The dogs were accompanying her, scrambling along on the crust over the stretches where the wind had packed the snow hard and floundering willingly through the softer patches.
"Here, Lad; here, Lass!" Kincheloe shouted to them, his voice borne by the wind; and at the call the collies strained forward eagerly.
"Lad! Lass!" Ethel spoke to them in opposition.
The dogs looked about, puzzled; they halted, panting and tossing their heads from master shouting far ahead to mistress speaking to them from near-by. They stayed with Ethel, and Kincheloe proceeded alone out upon the smooth ice.
She reached the fringe of the snow and removed her skis. Watching Kincheloe, she thought that his attempt to take the dogs from her was not as trivial as he had tried to make it seem. He was still far ahead
