t not too unwilling that
the fact that she and Layson were acknowledged sweethearts should be at
once established.

"Oh, I ain't been blind," said Holton, gaily, going much farther than
she wished him to. "I've cut _my_ eye-teeth!"

Then he turned to Layson with an awkward lightness. "Barbara told me
what passed between you two young folks afore you come up to the
mountings," he explained. And then, with further elephantine airyness:
"I say, jest excuse me--reckon I'm in the way." He made a move as if to
hurry off.

Layson was not pleased. The old man was annoying, always, and now, after
the long revery of the night before about Madge Brierly, this attitude
was doubly disconcerting. "Not at all, Mr. Holton," he said, somewhat
hastily. "I'm sure we'd rather you'd remain. Are you sure the others are
all right?"

"Close behind us."

"I'll go and make sure that they do not lose their way."

Holton looked at his daughter in a blank dismay after the youth had
started down the hill. "I say, gal," said he, "there's somethin' wrong
here!"

She was inclined to blame him for the deep discomforture she felt. "Why
couldn't you let us alone?" she answered angrily. "You've spoiled
everything!"

The old man looked at her, with worry on his face. "Didn't you tell me
't was as good as settled? You said you were dead sure he meant to make
you his wife."

She was still petulant, blaming him for Layson's unexpected lack of
warmth. "Yes, but you needn't have interfered!"

Holton was intensely puzzled, worried, almost frightened. He was as
anxious to have this young man for a son-in-law as his daughter was to
have him for a husband. Her marriage into such a celebrated bluegrass
family as the Laysons were, would firmly fix her social status, no
matter how precarious it might be now, and the match would be of great
advantage to him in a business way, as well. He stood there, thinking
deeply, very much displeased.

"There's somethin' more nor me has come between you," he said finally,
his face flushing with a deep resentment. "I tell you, gal, what I
believed at first, deep in my heart, air true. He was only triflin' with
you. Them aristocrats down in the bluegrass don't hold us no better than
the dust beneath their feet, even if we have got money. It's _family_
that counts with them. Didn't he lay his whip acrost my face, once, as
if I was a nigger?" His wrath was rising. "And now he shows that he was
only triflin' with you with