ime o'
year don't seem to make much difference," he said plaintively.

"Well, I guess if I wanted anything I wouldn't wish fer it a _great_
while--not if I could set to work an' get it."

The vim of this remark seemed to communicate itself to the pinto through
the tightened rein, and sent him forward with accelerated speed.

Parker glanced at his companion from under the conical shapelessness of
his old felt hat, but she kept her eyes on the team, and gave him her
jaunty profile behind its tantalizing barrier of meshes and dots.

"Well, I'll bet if you wanted what I want you'd be 'most afraid to
mention it," he said, reaching down into the tall barley, and jerking up
a handful of the bearded heads.

"Well, now, I bet I wouldn't."

"S'posin' I wanted to get married?"

There was a silence so sudden that it had the effect of an explosion.
Then Miss Starkweather giggled nervously.

"That's just exactly what I do want," persisted Parker desperately,
turning his toe inward, and kicking the wagon-box.

There was another disheartening silence. Then the girl's color flamed up
under her rusty lace veil. She turned upon him witheringly.

"Well, what are ye goin' to do about it? Set 'round and wait till some
girl asks ye?"

Her voice had a fine sarcastic sting in it.

Parker whipped his brown overalls with a green barley-head.

"No; I ain't such a bloomin' idiot as I look."

"I don't know 'bout that," answered the young woman coolly.

Parker faced about.

"Now, look here, Idy," he said; "you'd ought to quit foolin'. You know
what I mean well enough; you're just purtendin'. You know I want to
marry ye."

"Me!" The girl lifted her brows until they disappeared under the edge of
her much-becurled bang. "Want to marry _me!_ Great Scott!"

"I don't see why it's great Scott or great anything else," said Parker
doggedly.

Idy held the reins in her left hand, and smoothed her alpaca lap with
the whip handle, in maiden meditation.

"Well, I don't know as 't is so very great after all," she said, rubbing
the folds of her dress, and glancing at him in giggling confusion.

Parker made an experimental motion with his right arm toward the back of
the seat. The girl repelled him dexterously with her elbow.

"You drop that, Parker Lowe!" she said, with dignity. "I ain't so far
gone as all that. There's that Gonsallies felluh lookin' at us. You just
straighten up, or I'll hit ye a cut with this whip!"

Her lover gave a s