y?"

Wilfred Compton smiled with sudden sunniness. "Yes."

Somewhere beneath the immense whiskers, an answering smile slipped like
a breeze, stirring the iron-gray hair. "I kinder believe in you, son!
Nobody can't gainsay that you've played the man in this matter. Now,
just one thing more. You must swear here before me, with Bill Atkins
for an unwilling witness, that should we let you make the acquaintance
of our little gal, and should you get to be friends, you two, that the
very fust minute it comes to you that she ain't no little gal, but is
in the way of being food for love--Bill Atkins, air I making myself
plain?"

"You ain't," returned the old man sourly. "You're too complicated for
ordinary use."

"Then YOU tell him what I mean."

The old man glared at Wilfred fiercely. "If we decide to grant your
request, young man, swear on your honor that the second you find
yourself thinking of our little girl as a WOMAN, to be wooed and won,
you'll put out, and never stop till you're so far away, you'll be clear
out of her world. And not one word to her, not so much as one hint,
mind you, as to the reason of your going; it'll just be good-by and
farewell!"

"You see," Willock interpolated, "she is nothing a little gal, and we
don't want no foolish ideas to the contrary. You takes her for what
she is, nothing took from nor added to. In course, she'll be growed up
some day, I reckon, though may the good Lord take a good long time
finishing up the work He's begun so noble. When she's growed up, when
she's a woman, it ain't for us to say how you come and how you go, take
from or add to. But while she's a kid, it is different, according."

"You have my word of honor to all these conditions," Wilfred cried
lightly. "As a child of the mountains I ask for her acquaintance. If I
should ever feel differently about her, I'll go away and stay away
until she's a woman. Surely that's enough to promise!"

"There ain't too much to promise, when it comes to the peace and
happiness of our little girl," retorted the old man, "but I can't think
of any more for you to take oath to."

"Me nuther, Bill," agreed Willock. "Seems to me the young man is bound
as firm as humans can do the binding. Now you sit right here, son,
don't come a step nigher the house, and we'll go to breakfast; and
later you'll know whether or not all this promising has been idle waste
of time."

"But I can see how it'll turn out," growled Atkins,