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Author's Chapter Notes:

Stanley puts Colleen's claims to the test.

“I wondered if you would.”

“Then you told me of your hunting tactics, and I spent the whole morning thinking I wasn’t in any personal risk. I did wonder about my contribution to the plight of a leprechaun though.”

“Did you ever change your mind about helping me?”

“No, but if I’d known what was coming, I guess I would have used those flower patches to run for a good hiding spot.”

“You wouldn’t have gotten away.”

“You don’t know that for sure.”

“We were there alone, with all of the size advantages in my favour.”

“But the concealment advantages were all in mine,” he said, with the glimmering of an idea.

“I’d still have caught you in the end.”

“Not if I’d stayed hidden until sundown.”

“You didn’t have a chance.”

“I think I did. Why don’t we put it to the test?”

“You’re not going to goad me into giving you a chance to escape.”

“You just said twice, that I didn’t have any chance of getting away.”

“And you didn’t.”

“Well if you’re so sure of that, why not recreate the situation, but this time with me aware of my fate if I don’t elude you?”

She looked up, deep in thought, for several moments. He looked at her elegant eyes and waited.

“Alright, but you’ll see I’m right. Your chances of escaping me at that size are almost as negligible as your chances of getting out of my mouth, once I’ve closed it.”

She took him to another part of the meadow, away from their starting point that morning, and set him down on the ground, just next to the flower bed.

 “There are narrow pathways in that flower bed. I’ll be able to walk along them easily, and look down on you from above. Try to avoid being within my reach for as long as you can, by running away from whichever path I’m on. I won’t need to run at my size. So I’ll relax and stick to walking. You’ll have time to turn your head and keep an eye on me, when I’m near you. I’ll walk over to the far side of the garden and wait, while you get a good head start. Do you have any questions, before we start?”

She stood towering in front of him, while she spoke all these instructions. He looked up at her beautiful clothes and her high face above. It was nice to see her with a friendly demeanour again, even though it was a far more relaxing and pleasant experience for her than for him.

 “I guess I’d better think on that for a moment,” he said, “It’s important for me to be sure of my options and the rules of the chase, since there won’t be any chance to do it over again, once you’ve caught me.”

 “Take your time,” she said, “We’ve got all afternoon.”

 “Sure, and thank you for your consideration,” he said.

 “You can have half an hour for either thinking or asking me questions,” she said.

 “I did just think of a question. Once we start up again, how long a head start will you be giving me, before you come over and start chasing me?”

Chapter End Notes:

Coming up next: Colleen has a relaxing time in the meadow, while Stanley gets plenty of exercise.

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