t being called by no
business, except to follow her, he thought it wiser to make no
announcement of his intention. When the engine wheezed and groaned to
its start. Jerry swung himself into the baggage compartment, and after
the elapse of a safe interval presented himself, grinning, in the day
coach.

The girl pretended indignation, but her wrath was neither convincing
nor terrifying. After a space she inquired, "Jerry, does ye know whar
Jack Halloway come from afore he struck this section?"

O'Keefe shook his head. "I don't jedgmatically know what creek he was
borned on, ef thet's what ye means, but I reckon hit warn't so fur
away."

Her eyes narrowed a trifle. "Does ye even know--fer sure--thet he's a
mountain man?"

Jerry laughed. "I hain't nuver heered tell of no man thet war raised
up in the settlemints claimin' ter be a benighted boomer," he answered.
"Hit's right apt ter be ther other way 'round." He paused, then
judicially added: "When a man's co'tin a gal, he gin'rally seeks ter
put hisself in ther best light he kin--not ther wust."

"Yes, thet sounds right reasonable," she admitted.

"What made ye ask, Alexander?"

After a dubious pause, she spoke hesitantly, "I jest fell ter studyin'
erbout hit. Ef I tells ye, ye mustn't never name ther matter--ter
nobody."

"I gives ye my hand on thet."

"Wa'al, Mr. Brent told me afore he left, thet ef I ever needed counsel
I should write ter him. When Jack went away, I writ--an' yestiddy I
got an answer back. My letter ter Mr. Brent asked ther same question
thet I jest put up ter _you_."

"What did Brent say?"

She was looking out of the car window with eyes that were serious and
preoccupied.

"He said he knowed all erbout him--but thet a question like thet ought
rightfully ter be put ter a man fust-handed. He bade me ask Jack
myself when he come back--but he pledged hisself ter answer all my
questions ef Jack should happen ter refuse, atter he'd hed one chanst."

The gray-blue eyes narrowed for a moment, then O'Keefe inquired, "Does
hit makes any great differ whar a man was borned at?"

"Mebby not. I just fell ter wonderin'."

"Does ye want my fam'ly Bible ter look me up in?" demanded Jerry and
the girl laughed.

But she did not tell Jerry what lay back of this whole discussion. She
did not confide to him the mystery of a coat with a patched lining.

It had been a very old coat, though at one time, long ago, a good one,
and already it h