, self-reliant youngster, however, who took
long rambles alone and turned up safe at the right moment. All Lagonda
Ledge petted him, even to Burgess, who never forgot the day in the
rotunda when Bug's pitying voice had broken Burleigh's grip on his neck.

Bond Saxon had not changed, nor the white-haired woman of Pigeon
Place--nor the reputation of the ravines and rocky coverts for hiding
law breakers across the Walnut River. And Fenneben noted often the
slender blue smoke rising where nobody had a house.

It was an April day in the Walnut Valley, with all the freshness of the
earth just washed and perfumed by April showers. The sunshine was pale
gold. There was a gray-green filmy light from budding trees, and the
old-time miracle of the grass was wrought out once more before the eyes
of men. The orchards along the Walnut were faintly pink, and the eggs in
the robin's nest, the south winds purring through the wooded spaces, the
odor of far-plowed furrows on the prairie farms, all gave assurance
of the year's gladdest days. From the Sunrise ledge the beauty of the
landscape was exquisite. There was no haze overhanging the earth now,
and the Walnut Valley was a picture beyond a Master's dream. Victor
Burleigh sat on the top of the flight of steps leading from the lower
campus, looking lazily out with dreamy eyes on all that the earth had to
give on this sweet April afternoon.

Presently Elinor Wream came around the north angle of the building,
hesitated a little, then walked straight to the steps.

"Good afternoon, Victor," she said.

Burleigh looked up, glad then of his months of discipline and
self-control. A sight good for anybody on a day like this was this
college girl with beautiful dark hair and laughing dark eyes, a satiny
pink and white complexion, and a slender form, clad just now in dainty
pink gingham with faint little edgings of white and pale green, all
stylishly put together to reveal rounded arms, and white neck, and
dimpled chin.

"Hello, Elinor," Vic said, calmly, making room for her on the stone
steps. "Take a seat."

Elinor sat down beside him, throwing her hat on the ground.

"Whither away?" Vic asked.

"I'll tell you presently. I want to get over my stage fright first."

"All right, look at this view. I'll give it to you if you like it."
Vic had turned to the west again and was looking away toward the dreamy
prairies beyond the valley.

Elinor recalled the September day when the bull snak