eak. "Of course those who know your daughter
will not listen for an instant to the story of an unclean old thing like
Mrs. Belden."

"I'm not so sure about that," replied the father, gloomily. "People
always listen to such stories, and a girl always gets the worst of a
situation like this. Berrie's been brought up to take care of herself,
and she's kept clear of criticism so far; but with Cliff on edge and this
old rip snooping around--" His mind suddenly changed. "Your being the son
of a rich man won't help any. Why didn't you tell me who you were?"

"I didn't think it necessary. What difference does it make? I have
nothing to do with my father's business. His notions of forest
speculation are not mine."

"It would have made a difference with me, and it might have made a
difference with Berrie. She mightn't have been so free with you at the
start, if she'd known who you were. You looked sick and kind of lonesome,
and that worked on her sympathy."

"I _was_ sick and I was lonesome, and she has been very sweet and lovely
to me, and it breaks my heart to think that her kindness and your
friendship should bring all this trouble and suspicion upon her. Let's go
up to the Moore camp and have it out with them. I'll make any statement
you think best."

"I reckon the less said about it the better," responded the older man.
"I'm going up to the camp, but not to talk about my daughter."

"How can you help it? They'll force the topic."

"If they do, I'll force them to let it alone," retorted McFarlane; but he
went away disappointed and sorrowful. The young man's evident avoidance
of the subject of marriage hurt him. He did not perceive, as Norcross
did, that to make an announcement of his daughter's engagement at this
moment would be taken as a confession of shameful need. It is probable
that Berrie herself would not have seen this further complication.

Each hour added to Wayland's sense of helplessness and bitterness. "I am
in a trap. I can neither help Berrie nor help myself. Nothing remains for
me but flight, and flight will also be a confession of guilt."

Once again, and in far more definite terms, he perceived the injustice of
the world toward women. Here with Berrie, as in ages upon ages of other
times, the maiden must bear the burden of reproach. "In me it will be
considered a joke, a romantic episode, in her a degrading misdemeanor.
And yet what can I do?"

When he re-entered the cabin the Supervisor had retur