llie, quietly, though the color burned in her face.
"Walter! I'm going to refuse to give father my salary if I am elected
to a school. I mean to save my money to go to the Normal--where Miss
Margaret is."

"So long as you are under age, he can take it from you, Tillie."

"If the school I teach is near enough for me to live at home, I'll pay
my board. More than that I won't do."

"But how are you going to help yourself?"

"I haven't made up my mind, yet, how I'm going to do it. It will be the
hardest struggle I've ever had--to stand out against him in such a
thing," Tillie continued; "but I will not be weak, I will not! I have
studied and worked all these years in the hope of a year at the
Normal--with Miss Margaret. And I won't falter now!"

Before he could reply to her almost impassioned earnestness, they were
startled by the sound of footsteps behind them in the woods--the heavy
steps of men. Involuntarily, they both stopped short, Tillie with the
feeling of one caught in a stolen delight; and Fairchilds with mingled
annoyance at the interruption, and curiosity as to who might be
wandering in this unfrequented patch of woods.

"I seen 'em go out up in here!"

It was the voice of Absalom. The answer came in the harsh, indignant
tones of Mr. Getz. "Next time I leave her go to a Instytoot or such a
Columbus Sallybration, she'll stay at HOME! Wastin' time walkin' 'round
in the woods with that dude teacher!--and on a week-day, too!"

Tillie looked up at Fairchilds with an appeal that went to his heart.
Grimly he waited for the two.

"So here's where you are!" cried Mr. Getz, striding up to them, and,
before Fairchilds could prevent it, he had seized Tillie by the
shoulder. "What you mean, runnin' off up here, heh? What you mean?" he
demanded, shaking her with all his cruel strength.

"Stop that, you brute!" Fairchilds, unable to control his fury, drew
back and struck the big man squarely on the chest. Getz staggered back,
amazement at this unlooked-for attack for a moment getting the better
of his indignation. He had expected to find the teacher cowed with fear
at being discovered by a director and a director's son in a situation
displeasing to them.

"Let the child alone, you great coward--or I 'll horsewhip you!"

Getz recovered himself. His face was black with passion. He lifted the
horsewhip which he carried.

"You'll horsewhip me--me, Jake Getz, that can put you off William Penn
TO-MORROW if I want! Wi