e morning,
together with the memory of Tillhurst's gossip and the long time since
we had talked with each other alone, had been enough to check even her
sunny spirit. Gentle Mrs. Whately, willing to believe everybody, met her
daughter with a sad face.

"My dear, I have some unwelcome news for you," she said when Marjie was
resting in the cool sitting-room after the hot ride. "There's an old
sweetheart of Phil's came here last evening to visit him. Mr. Dever, the
stage-driver, says she is the handsomest girl he ever saw. They say she
and Phil were engaged and had a falling out back East. They met again in
Topeka, and Phil stayed a day or two to visit with her after the
political meeting was over. And now she has come down here at his
request to meet his folks. Marjie, daughter, you need not care. There
are more worthy men who would be proud to marry you."

Marjie made no reply.

"Oh, daughter, he isn't worth your grief. Be strong. Your life will get
into better channels now. There are those who care for you more than you
dream of. And you cannot care for Phil when I tell you all I must tell."

"I will be strong, mother. What else?" Marjie said quietly. In the
shadows of the room darkened to keep out the noonday heat, Mrs. Whately
did not note the white face and the big brown eyes burning with pain.

"It's too bad, but you ought to know it. Judge Baronet's got some kind
of a land case on hand. There's a fine half-section he's trying to get
away from a young man who is poor. The Judge is a clever lawyer and he
is a rich man. Mr. Judson says Tell Mapleson is this young man's
counsel, and he's fighting to keep the land for its real owner. Well,
Phil was strolling around until nearly morning with Lettie Conlow, and
they met this young man somewhere. He doesn't live about here. And,
Marjie, right before Lettie, Phil gave him an awful beating and made him
promise never to show himself in Springvale again. You know Judge
Baronet could do anything in that court-room he wants to. He is a fine
man. How your father loved him! But Phil goes out and does the dirty
work to help him win. So Amos Judson says."

"Did Amos Judson tell you all this, Mother?" Marjie asked faintly.

"Most of it. And he is so interested in your welfare, daughter."

Marjie rose to her feet. "Mother, I don't know how much truth there may
be in the circumstances, but I'll wait until somebody besides Amos
Judson tells me before I accept these stories."