eyes held Ollie's swinging
bonnet as he approached it as if it were some rare bird which he hoped
to steal upon and take. Thus coming on, with high-lifted feet, his
breath short from excitement, Joe was within ten yards of the bonnet
when a voice sounded behind the intervening screen of clover and
boughs.

Joe dropped in his tracks, as if ham-strung, crouched in the clover,
pressed his hands to his mouth to stifle the groan that rose to his
lips. It was Morgan's voice. He had come sneaking back while the
watch-dog was off guard, secure in the belief that he had gone away. As
Joe crouched there hidden in the clover, trembling and cold with anger,
Morgan's voice rose in a laugh.

"Well, I wouldn't have given him credit for that much sense if I hadn't
seen him with my own eyes," said he.

"He's smarter than he looks," said Ollie, their voices distinct in Joe's
shamed ears, for it was as quiet in the orchard as on the first day.

They both laughed over what she said.

"He thinks I'm gone, he'll go to bed early tonight," said Morgan. "Don't
bother about bringing anything with you."

"Not even my diamonds?" she laughed.

Morgan's gruffer mirth joined her, and Joe found himself straining to
hear, although he despised himself for spying and eavesdropping, even on
guilt.

"We can get on without the diamonds," said Morgan, "and I don't suppose
you've got any ball dresses or sealskin cloaks?"

"Three calico wrappers that he's bought me, and a dress or two that I
had when I came," said Ollie, bitterly.

"You'll have all you want in a day or two, honey," said Morgan, in
comforting voice.

They were silent a while; then Joe heard her ask the time. Morgan told
her it was half-past four.

"Oh, I had no idea it was that late--time goes so fast when I'm with
you! I must go back to the house now, Joe might come in and find me
gone."

"Yes, I'd like to wring his damned neck!" said Morgan.

"He's a good boy, Curtis," she defended, but with lightness, "but he's a
little----"

She held her words back coquettishly.

"Heh?" queried Morgan.

"Jealous, you old goose! Can't you see it?"

Morgan had a great laugh over that. From the sound of his voice Joe knew
that he was standing, and his whole body ached with the fear that they
would discover him lying there in the clover. Not that he was afraid of
Morgan, but that he dreaded the humiliation which Ollie must suffer in
knowing that her guilty tryst had been discovered.