rstanding squeeze,
and the good-byes began.

"Be off with you, youngsters!" growled the major. "The boat is
in--post haste now, or you'll miss it. Begone, both of you!"

And presently they found themselves once more in the carriage, the
horses galloping down to the wharf. And almost before they realized
it they were aboard, with the hearty "God bless you's" of the
splendid old major and his lovable wife still echoing in their
happy young hearts.

* * * * *

It was evening, five days later, when they arrived at their new
home. All about the hills, and the woods, above the winding river,
and along the edge of the distant forest, brooded that purple
smokiness that haunts the late days of August--the smokiness that
was born of distant fires, where the Indians and pioneers were
"clearing" their lands. The air was like amethyst, the setting sun
a fire opal. As on the day when she first had come into his life,
George helped her to alight from the carriage, and they stood a
moment, hand in hand, and looked over the ample acres that composed
their estate. The young Indian had worked hard to have most of the
land cleared, leaving here and there vast stretches of walnut
groves, and long lines of majestic elms, groups of sturdy oaks, and
occasionally a single regal pine tree. Many a time in later years
his utilitarian friends would say, "Chief, these trees you are
preserving so jealously are eating up a great deal of your land.
Why not cut away and grow wheat?" But he would always resent the
suggestion, saying that his wheat lands lay back from the river.
They were for his body, doubtless, but here, by the river, the
trees must be--they were for his soul. And Lydia would champion him
immediately with, "Yes, they were there to welcome me as a bride,
those grand old trees, and they will remain there, I think, as long
as we both shall live." So, that first evening at home they stood
and watched the imperial trees, the long, open flats bordering the
river, the nearby lawns which he had taken such pains to woo from
the wilderness; stood palm to palm, and that moment seemed to
govern all their after life.

Someone has said that never in the history of the world have two
people been perfectly mated. However true this may be, it is an
undeniable fact that between the most devoted of life-mates there
will come inharmonious moments. Individuality would cease to exist
were it not so.

These two lived t