No, she told herself over and over again, as though repeating a lesson; no, Ollie was not to blame, and yet-- She knew that he had spoken truly when he said that there were things that counted for more than brute strength.

But was there not something more than brute strength in the incident?
Was there not that which lay deeper?
something of which the brute strength, after all, was only an expression?
The girl stamped her foot impatiently, as she exclaimed aloud, "Oh, why did he not TRY to do something?
He should have forced Wash Gibbs to beat him into insensibility rather than to have submitted so tamely to being played with." In the distance she saw the shepherd following his flock down the mountain, and the old scholar, who always watched the Lookout, when in the vicinity, for a glimpse of his pupil, waved his hand in greeting as he moved slowly on after his charges.

It was growing late.

Her father, too, would be coming home for his supper.

But as she rose to go, a step on the mountain side above caught her attention, and, looking up, she saw Pete coming toward the big rock.