ly have!" Mrs. Fear's expression had cleared and her tone was
cheerful. "I don't see no harm in that! I'm sure she's a good friend
of YOURS, Mr. Louden."

Joe glanced at Ariel with a faint, troubled smile, and turned again to
Mrs. Fear. "I've had a long talk with Happy."

"I'm awful glad. Is he ready to listen to reason? she asked, with a
titter.

"He's waiting for you."

"Where?" She rose quickly.

"Stop," said Joe, sharply. "You must be very careful with him--"

"Don't you s'pose I'm goin' to be?" she interrupted, with a catch in
her voice. "Don't you s'pose I've had trouble enough?"

"No," said Joe, deliberately and impersonally, "I don't. Unless you
keep remembering to be careful all the time, you'll follow the first
impulse you have, as you did yesterday, and your excuse will be that
you never thought any harm would come of it. He's in a queer mood; but
he will forgive you if you ask him--"

"Well, ain't that what I WANT to do!" she exclaimed.

"I know, I know," he said, dropping into the desk-chair and passing his
hand over his eyes with a gesture of infinite weariness. "But you must
be very careful. I hunted for him most of the night and all day. He
was trying to keep out of my way because he didn't want me to find him
until he had met this fellow Nashville. Happy is a hard man to come at
when he doesn't care to be found, and he kept shifting from place to
place until I ran him down. Then I got him in a corner and told him
that you hadn't meant any harm--which is always true of you, poor
woman!--and I didn't leave him till he had promised me to forgive you
if you would come and ask him. And you must keep him out of Cory's way
until I can arrange to have him--Cory, I mean--sent out of town. Will
you?"

"Why, cert'nly," she answered, smiling. "That Nashville's the vurry
last person I ever want to see again--the fresh thing!" Mrs. Fear's
burden had fallen; her relief was perfect and she beamed vapidly; but
Joe marked her renewed irresponsibility with an anxious eye.

"You mustn't make any mistakes," he said, rising stiffly with fatigue.

"Not ME! _I_ don't take no more chances," she responded, tittering
happily. "Not after yesterday. MY! but it's a load off my shoulders!
I do hate it to have gen'lemen quarrelling over me, especially Mr.
Fear. I never DID like to START anything; I like to see people laugh
and be friendly, and I'm mighty glad it's all blown over. I kind o'
thought i