d her to boldness before and failed at the pinch. What
advice could he give? What could he say to comfort his friend?

"Haven't you got any folks you could go to--some one who would tell Houck
where to head in at?"

She shook her head. "My father's all I've got."

"Won't he help you?"

"He would, but--I can't ask him. I got to pretend to him I'd just as lief
marry Jake."

"Why have you?"

"I can't tell you why, Bob. But that's how it is."

"And you still hate Houck?"

"Ump-ha. Except--sometimes." She did not explain that elusive answer.
"But it don't matter about how I feel. When he comes back I've got to do
like he says."

June broke down and began to weep. The boy's tender heart melted within
him.

"Don't you. Don't you," he begged. "We'll find a way, li'l' pardner. We
sure will."

"How?" she asked, between sobs. "There ain't--any way--except to--to
marry Jake."

"You could run away--and work," he suggested.

"Who'd give me work? And where could I go that he wouldn't find me?"

Practical details stumped him. Her objections were valid enough. With her
inexperience she could never face the world alone.

"Well, le's see. You've got friends. Somewhere that you could kinda hide
for a while."

"Not a friend. We--we don't make friends," she said in a small, forlorn
voice with a catch in it.

"You got one," he said stoutly. "Maybe he don't amount to much, but--" He
broke off, struck by an idea. "Say, June, why couldn't you run off with
me? We'd go clear away, where he wouldn't find us."

"How could I run off with you?" A pink flood poured into her face.
"You're not my brother. You're no kin."

"No, but--" He frowned at the ground, kicking at a piece of moss with his
toe to help him concentrate. Again he found an idea. "We could get
married."

This left her staring at him, speechless.

He began to dress his proposal with arguments. He was a humble enough
youth who had played a trifling part in life. But his imagination soared
at seeing himself a rescuer of distressed maidens. He was a dreamer of
dreams. In them he bulked large and filled heroic roles amply.

June was a practical young person. "What d' you want to marry me for?"
she demanded.

He came to earth. He did not want to marry her. At least he had not
wanted to until the moment before. If he had been able to give the reason
for his suggestion, it would probably have been that her complete
isolation and helplessness appealed to the same c