er or no.

Steve could not see the laughing but real protest in Nancy's face, and
his lips set firmly as he watched her white frock swaying gently up
the long, straggling street.

Mrs. Follet then went in and Mr. Follet, turning to Steve, began in
pleased excitement:

"Raymond's mightily in love with her, ain't he?" and went on without
waiting for a reply, "I can't tell about her,--you never can tell
nothin' about girls, anyway, you know, and she's just wrapped up in
her piano music. She spends hours thumpin' on what she calls
classical music, but I wouldn't give it for one tune on the banjo.
She's been begging me to let her go to New York and study, but Lord,
she knows as much now as any woman under the cano_pee_'s got use for,
I think, and I've told her she can't do it. Raymond says, though, she
ought to go, and that he'd like nothin' better than to give her the
chance. His folks have got money, I reckon, and he can do it all
right. If anything'll help to get her that will."

Steve laughed in reply with as good grace as he could, and soon
followed Mrs. Follet to bed as one of the "old folks" before the
"children" returned.

It was evident enough that he did not count with anybody except the
Greelys as a possible suitor for Nancy, and his sturdy heart chafed in
almost bitter protest. Again sweet memories played truant in the small
attic chamber. "And little Nancy has musical aspirations," he thought.
"With the life I have chosen I could never gratify her. It is
absolutely hopeless for me,--I have nothing to offer her. I am old and
staid, anyway," he said finally to his rebellious heart. "I have known
the responsibilities of life too long, and Nancy is made only for
joy."

The next morning, putting aside his depression sternly, Steve went on
horseback alone, taking the same road he and Nancy had taken the
morning before. He lingered again in the Greely woods, this time on a
prospecting tour testing here and testing there carefully.

When he at last rode up to the little one-roomed log cabin the old
folks again made him welcome. After chatting a goodly length of time
with them, and getting his voice well pitched for the old man's
hearing, Steve asked if Mr. Greely would not like to sell off some of
his land.

The old man looked surprised at the question, for no coal fields had
then been opened up in that part of Kentucky, so that he was not aware
of the value of coal bearing land.

"Wal, course I would, but