moodily by the
fire. At last he did lift his head, and Fledra's solemn gray eyes, fixed
gravely upon him, made the squatter ill at ease.

"What ye lookin' at?" he growled. "Keep your eyes to hum, and quit a
staring at me!" Fledra shrank back. "And I hate ye in them glad rags!"
Lon thundered out. "Jerk 'em off, and put on some of them togs of Granny
Cronk's! Yer a squatter, and ye'd better dress and talk like one! Do ye
hear?"

"Yes, Pappy Lon," murmured Fledra, dropping her eyes.

"I ain't said yet when ye was to go to Lem's hut; but, when I do, don't
ye kick up no row, and ye'd best do as Lem tells ye, or he'll take the
sass out of yer hide!"

"I wish I could stay with you," ventured Fledra sorrowfully; but to this
Lon did not reply. After breakfast she was left alone in the hut, and
she could hear the loud talking of the tugmen and see Lem working on the
scow.

Soon Middy Burnes' tug steamed away toward Ithaca, and Fledra knew that
she was alone with no creature between her and Lem but Lon Cronk.

When Lon and Lem returned, the hut was tidy. Fledra had hoped that if
she made it so Lon might want her to stay. She could be of much use
about the shanty. Neither of the men spoke for awhile, and Fledra held
her peace, as she sat by the low hut-window and gazed thoughtfully out
upon the lake. In the distance she could see the east shore but dimly.
Several fishing boats ran up the lake toward town. A flock of spring
birds swept breezily over the water and sought the shade of the forest.
Suddenly Lem rose up, stretched his legs, yawned, and said:

"I'm goin' out, Lon, and I'll be back in a little while. Ye'd best be a
thinkin' of what I said," he cautioned, "and keep yer eyes skinned for
travelers."

"All right. Don't be gone long, Lem," responded Lon. Fledra was not too
abstracted to notice the uneasy tone in the squatter's voice.

"Nope; I'm only goin' up the hill."

Lem had decided to reconnoiter for Scraggy. He was filled with a fear
that she might be dead; for he had left her in the hut unconscious. He
climbed the hill, and, rounding her shanty, drew nearer, and peeped into
the window. A piece of bread lying on the table, and a few embers
burning on the grate bolstered up his hope that he had not committed
murder. He drew a sigh of relief.

* * * * *

Presently, after the departure of Lem, Lon stirred his feet, dragged
himself up in the chair, and turned upon the girl. Her he