etly at him,
but there were times, as he had noticed already, when a brooding
look stole over them, and then they were the lair for the mysterious
loneliness that was the very spirit of Lonesome Cove. Some day that
little nose would be long enough, and some day, he thought, she would be
very beautiful.

"Your cousin, Loretta, said she was coming over to see you."

June's teeth snapped viciously through the stick of candy and then she
turned on him and behind the long lashes and deep down in the depth of
those wonderful eyes he saw an ageless something that bewildered him
more than her words.

"I hate her," she said fiercely.

"Why, little girl?" he said gently.

"I don't know--" she said--and then the tears came in earnest and she
turned her head, sobbing. Hale helplessly reached over and patted her on
the shoulder, but she shrank away from him.

"Go away!" she said, digging her fist into her eyes until her face was
calm again.

They had reached the spot on the river where he had seen her first, and
beyond, the smoke of the cabin was rising above the undergrowth.

"Lordy!" she said, "but I do git lonesome over hyeh."

"Wouldn't you like to go over to the Gap with me sometimes?"

Straightway her face was a ray of sunlight.

"Would--I like--to--go--over--"

She stopped suddenly and pulled in her horse, but Hale had heard
nothing.

"Hello!" shouted a voice from the bushes, and Devil Judd Tolliver issued
from them with an axe on his shoulder. "I heerd you'd come back an'
I'm glad to see ye." He came down to the road and shook Hale's hand
heartily.

"Whut you been cryin' about?" he added, turning his hawk-like eyes on
the little girl.

"Nothin'," she said sullenly.

"Did she git mad with ye 'bout somethin'?" said the old man to Hale.
"She never cries 'cept when she's mad." Hale laughed.

"You jes' hush up--both of ye," said the girl with a sharp kick of her
right foot.

"I reckon you can't stamp the ground that fer away from it," said the
old man dryly. "If you don't git the better of that all-fired temper o'
yourn hit's goin' to git the better of you, an' then I'll have to spank
you agin."

"I reckon you ain't goin' to whoop me no more, pap. I'm a-gittin' too
big."

The old man opened eyes and mouth with an indulgent roar of laughter.

"Come on up to the house," he said to Hale, turning to lead the way, the
little girl following him. The old step-mother was again a-bed; small
Bub, the brother,