time a
fairly good bit of roadway permitted. He could make nothing of
her face except that it was about the prettiest he had ever
seen. Plainly she was not eager to get acquainted; still,
acquainted they must get. So he tried again:

"My sister Keziah--she keeps house for me--she'll be mighty
surprised when I turn up with a wife. I didn't let on to her
what I was about, nary a word."

He laughed and looked expectantly at the girl. Her expression
was unchanged. Jeb again devoted himself to his driving.

"No, I didn't let on," he presently resumed. "Fact is, I wan't
sure myself till I seed you at the winder." He smiled
flirtatiously at her. "Then I decided to go ahead. I dunno, but
I somehow kinder allow you and me'll hit it off purty
well--don't you?"

Susan tried to speak. She found that she could not--that she had
nothing to say.

"You're the kind of a girl I always had my mind set on," pursued
Jeb, who was an expert love-maker. "I like a smooth skin and
pouty lips that looks as if they wanted to be kissed." He took
the reins in one hand, put his arm round her, clumsily found her
lips with his. She shrank slightly, then submitted. But Jeb
somehow felt no inclination to kiss her again. After a moment he
let his arm drop away from her waist and took the reins in both
hands with an elaborate pretense that the bad road compelled it.

A long silence, then he tried again: "It's cool and nice under
these here trees, ain't it?"

"Yes," she said.

"I ain't saw you out here for several years now. How long has it been?"

"Three summers ago."

"You must 'a' growed some. I don't seem to recollect you. You
like the country?"

"Yes."

"Sho! You're just sayin' that. You want to live in town. Well,
so do I. And as soon as I get things settled a little I'm goin'
to take what I've got and the two thousand from your Uncle
George and open up a livery stable in town."

Susan's strange eyes turned upon him. "In Sutherland?" she asked
breathlessly.

"Right in Sutherland," replied he complacently. "I think I'll
buy Jake Antle's place in Jefferson Street."

Susan was blanched and trembling. "Oh, no," she cried. "You
mustn't do that!"

Jeb laughed. "You see if I don't. And we'll live in style, and
you can keep a gal and stay dolled up all the time. Oh, I know
how to treat you."

"I want to stay in the country," cried Susan. "I hate Sutherland."

"Now, don't you be afraid," soothed Jeb. "