to test it now. I've laid a trap for you." She shook
her head.

"And you've walked right into it"

"I'm glad." She noticed now the crumpled piece of paper in his hand and
she thought it was some matter of business.

"Oh," she said, reproachfully. "You aren't going to bother with anything
of that kind _now?_"

"Yes," he said. "I want you to look over this."

"Very well," she said resignedly. He was holding the paper out to her
and she took it and held it to the light of the candle. Her face flamed
and she turned remorseful eyes upon him.

"And you've kept that, too, you had it when I----"

"When you were wiser maybe than you are now."

"God save me from ever being such a fool again." Tears started in her
eyes.

"You haven't forgiven me!" she cried.

"Uncle Billy says it's as good now as it was then."

He was looking at her queerly now and his smile was gone. Slowly his
meaning came to her like the flush that spread over her face and throat.
She drew in one long quivering breath and, with parted lips and her
great shining eyes wide, she looked at him.

"Now?" she whispered.

"Now!" he said.

Her eyes dropped to the coarse gown, she lifted both hands for a moment
to her hair and unconsciously she began to roll one crimson sleeve down
her round, white arm.

"No," said Hale, "just as you are."

She went to him then, put her arms about his neck, and with head thrown
back she looked at him long with steady eyes.

"Yes," she breathed out--"just as you are--and now."

Uncle Billy was waiting for them on the porch and when they came out, he
rose to his feet and they faced him, hand in hand. The moon had risen.
The big Pine stood guard on high against the outer world. Nature was
their church and stars were their candles. And as if to give them even
a better light, the moon had sent a luminous sheen down the dark
mountainside to the very garden in which the flowers whispered like
waiting happy friends. Uncle Billy lifted his hand and a hush of
expectancy seemed to come even from the farthest star.

End of Project Gutenberg's The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, by John Fox, Jr.

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TRAIL OF THE LONESOME PINE ***

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