ould
avoid the high and lofty duty. There are some who would profane the name
of love, and hide behind it to save their own cowardly skins. To these
ignoble ones there is but one course left open. Go. Put your name on the
roster of your country as a free man, unmarried and without impediments
of any sort. Then return and these doors will fly open before the magic
of a blue card."

It was at that time, we learned later, that the policeman, who was but a
rough and untutored type, decided that Tish was insane--how often, alas,
is genius thus mistaken!--and started off for the Knowles farm to bring
help. Mr. Culver made no reply to Tish's speech, and we learned later
had gone away in the midst of it. Later on he was reported by Aggie, who
looked out from an upper window, to be sitting under the chestnut tree
where he had once rescued Tish's black alpaca skirt, sulking and
watching.

Tish then went up and spoke to him from the window.

"See here," she said angrily, "do you think that I did not mean what I
said through that door?"

He had the audacity to yawn.

"I didn't hear all of it," he said. "But judging from what I know of
you, I daresay you meant it. Would you mind tossing me a tin cup or
something to drink out of?"

"You are not going back to town to register, then?"

"It's early," he replied, coolly. "If you mean do I intend to walk back,
I do not. I shall wait for the Sheriff and the posse."

It was then that Tish saw the policeman crossing a field toward the
Knowles farm and she tried to reason with the young man. But he dropped
his pretence of indifference, and would not even listen to her.

"I've only one thing to say," he said, fiercely. "You be careful of that
young lady. As to whether I register or not, that's my business and has
nothing to do with the case. When you open that door and send her out,
with four good tires to take the place of the ones you ruined, I'll talk
to you, and not before."

He then got up and walked away, and Tish came downstairs and lighted a
candle with hands that shook with rage. We had heard the entire
conversation, and in the candlelight I could see that Aggie was as white
as wax.

Well, the situation was really desperate, but Tish's face forbade
questions. Aggie ventured to observe that perhaps it would be better to
unlock the door and release the girl, but Tish only gave her a ferocious
glance.

"I am doing my duty," she said, firmly. "I have done nothing for which