arin' about old man Rhett's Polly fo' considerable
of a spell," said Cavendish, looking at Polly reflectively. "He lived up
at the head waters of the Elk River. Fellows who had been to his place,
when girls was mentioned would sort of shake their heads sad-like and
say, 'Yes, but you had ought to see old man Rhett's Polly, all the rest
is imitations!' Seemed like they couldn't get her off their minds. So
I just slung my kit to my back, shouldered my rifle, and hoofed it
up-stream. I says, I'll see for myself where this here paragon lays it
all over the rest of her sect, but sho--the closter I came to old man
Rhett the mo' I heard of Polly!"

"Dick, how you do run on," cried Polly protestingly, but Chills and
Fever's knightly soul dwelt in its illusions, and the years had not
made stale his romance. Also Polly was beaming on him with a wealth of
affection.

"I seen her fo' the first time as I was warmin' the trail within a mile
of old man Rhett's. She was carrying a grist of co'n down to the mill
in her father's ox cart. When I clapped eyes on her I says, 'I'll marry
that lady. I'll make her the Countess of Lambeth--she'll shore do fo'
the peerage any day!' That was yo' mommy, sneezic's!" Mr. Cavendish
paused to address himself to the baby whom Connie had relinquished to
him.

"You bet I made time the rest of the way. I says, 'She's sixteen if
she's a day, and all looks!' I broke into old man Rhett's clearin' on a
keen run. He was a settin' afo' his do' smokin' his pipe and he glanced
me over kind of weary-like and says, 'Howdy!' It wa'n't much of a
greetin' the way he said it either; but I figured it was some better
than bein' chased off the place. So I stepped indo's, stood my rifle in
a corner and hung up my cap. He was watchin' me and presently he drawled
out, 'Make yo'self perfectly at home, stranger.'

"I says, 'Squire'--he wa'n't a squire, but they called him that--I says,
'Squire, my name's Cavendish. Let's get acquainted quick. I'm here fo'
to co'te yo' Polly. I seen her on the road a spell back and I couldn't
be better suited.'

"He says, 'You had ought to be kivered up in salt, young man, else yo'll
spile in this climate.'

"I says, 'I'll keep in any climate.'

"He says, 'Polly ain't givin' her thoughts much to marryin', she's busy
keepin' house fo' her pore old father.'

"I says, 'I've come here special fo' to arouse them thoughts you
mention. If I seem slow.'

"He says, 'You don't. If this is yo'