epped behind a bush.

"Jumping Jehosophat--is that you, June? Air ye all right?"

"Yes, Uncle Billy." The old man climbed off his horse with a groan.

"Lordy, Lordy, Lordy, but I was skeered!" He had his hands on June's
shoulders and was looking at her with a bewildered face.

"What air ye doin' here alone, baby?"

June's eyes shone: "Nothing Uncle Billy." Hale stepped into sight.

"Oh, ho! I see! You back an' he ain't gone! Well, bless my soul, if this
ain't the beatenest--" he looked from the one to the other and his kind
old face beamed with a joy that was but little less than their own.

"You come back to stay?"

"My--where's that horn? I want it right now, Ole Hon down thar is
a-thinkin' she's gone crazy and I thought she shorely was when she said
she heard you blow that horn. An' she tol' me the minute I got here,
if hit was you--to blow three times." And straightway three blasts rang
down the river.

"Now she's all right, if she don't die o' curiosity afore I git back
and tell her why you come. Why did you come back, baby? Gimme a drink o'
water, son. I reckon me an' that ole hoss hain't travelled sech a gait
in five year."

June was whispering something to the old man when Hale came back, and
what it was the old man's face told plainly.

"Yes, Uncle Billy--right away," said Hale.

"Just as soon as you can git yo' license?" Hale nodded.

"An' June says I'm goin' to do It."

"Yes," said Hale, "right away."

Again June had to tell the story to Uncle Billy that she had told to
Hale and to answer his questions, and it was an hour before the old
miller rose to go. Hale called him then into June's room and showed him
a piece of paper.

"Is it good now?" he asked.

The old man put on his spectacles, looked at it and chuckled:

"Just as good as the day you got hit."

"Well, can't you----"

"Right now! Does June know?"

"Not yet. I'm going to tell her now. June!" he called.

"Yes, dear." Uncle Billy moved hurriedly to the door.

"You just wait till I git out o' here." He met June in the outer room.

"Where are you going, Uncle Billy?"

"Go on, baby," he said, hurrying by her, "I'll be back in a minute."

She stopped in the doorway--her eyes wide again with sudden anxiety, but
Hale was smiling.

"You remember what you said at the Pine, dear?" The girl nodded and she
was smiling now, when with sweet seriousness she said again: "Your least
wish is now law to me, my lord."

"Well, I'm going