t her hair was parted and
gathered in a Psyche knot at the back of her head, giving her a quaint
old look when she stood on the ground in her crimson gown. Hale had not
forgotten a pillion and there the transfer was made. Hale lifted her
behind his saddle and handed up her bundle.

"I'll take good care of her," he said.

"All right," said the old man.

"And I'm coming over soon to fix up that coal matter, and I'll let you
know how she's getting on."

"All right."

"Good-by," said Hale.

"I wish ye well," said the mountaineer. "Be a good girl, Juny, and do
what Mr. Hale thar tells ye."

"All right, pap." And thus they parted. June felt the power of Hale's
big black horse with exultation the moment he started.

"Now we're off," said Hale gayly, and he patted the little hand that was
about his waist. "Give me that bundle."

"I can carry it."

"No, you can't--not with me," and when he reached around for it and
put it on the cantle of his saddle, June thrust her left hand into his
overcoat pocket and Hale laughed.

"Loretta wouldn't ride with me this way."

"Loretty ain't got much sense," drawled June complacently. "'Tain't no
harm. But don't you tell me! I don't want to hear nothin' 'bout Loretty
noway." Again Hale laughed and June laughed, too. Imp that she was, she
was just pretending to be jealous now. She could see the big Pine over
his shoulder.

"I've knowed that tree since I was a little girl--since I was a baby,"
she said, and the tone of her voice was new to Hale. "Sister Sally uster
tell me lots about that ole tree." Hale waited, but she stopped again.

"What did she tell you?"

"She used to say hit was curious that hit should be 'way up here all
alone--that she reckollected it ever since SHE was a baby, and she used
to come up here and talk to it, and she said sometimes she could hear it
jus' a whisperin' to her when she was down home in the cove."

"What did she say it said?"

"She said it was always a-whisperin' 'come--come--come!'" June crooned
the words, "an' atter she died, I heerd the folks sayin' as how she
riz up in bed with her eyes right wide an' sayin' "I hears it! It's
a-whisperin'--I hears it--come--come--come'!" And still Hale kept quiet
when she stopped again.

"The Red Fox said hit was the sperits, but I knowed when they told me
that she was a thinkin' o' that ole tree thar. But I never let on. I
reckon that's ONE reason made me come here that day." They were close to
the