think. My warnin' to ye
is that ye better not say that, ye better take it back as a joke right
now."

"You wouldn't tell on me, would you?"

"Ye better take it back."

"I won't take anything back," he said firmly, but smiling.

"Ye frighten me, Jack."

She spoke with all the tenderness of her heart.

"I don't mean to do that. I'm very docile, I'm just opening my life to
you because I--I think I like you and----"

"Ye needn't," she said, blushing. "I know what ye would say. Dad don't
like for the gentlemen to talk to me that away."

"Dad is far away just now, and if I say I like you, Nora, it is because
I do, and your Dad can know that much if he so desires. I do not mean to
deceive him, nor would I deceive you for all the world and this big
mountain thrown in." He peered down into those great dark eyes, which
met his gaze with unflinching, gleaming admiration. "It's so pleasant
here," he added.

"Ain't it pleasant in the big city?" she asked doubtfully.

The outer world now held a certain charm which to her had not been known
before.

"Not so pleasant as it is here on the mountain side," he replied.
"Listen, Nora. In the city you cannot hear the rippling waters as they
dance down the rocky pathway over the hill to the stream beyond. You
cannot listen to the song of the wild morning bird as he cries out in
his great freedom from his lofty perch in yonder tree top; you cannot
inhale the pure fresh air as it glides gently over the brushy way; you
cannot hear the rustling of the dry leaves as you do here, therefore, it
is not so pleasant in the big city."

"Ye gets used to that here," she said.

"You get used to the clanging bells, to the snorting whistles, and to
the dusty, smoky atmosphere in the city, too, but there is still a
difference. There you see people at all hours of the day and night
busily rushing to and fro, this way and that, rushing, pushing, jamming,
nothing more."

"I think I would like that for a while," she said.

"No, you wouldn't. Not long. It is not near so pleasant there as it is
here, and by your side." He slipped his arm around her waist. She made
no effort to disengage it. "It's so ple----"

"What's that?" she said, startled. A rifle shot, followed by a wild
yell, broke the peaceful stillness of the mountain air. She leaned her
head far over and listened. "That's Al Thompson," she cried. "Let's be
a-goin'. When he's that away I don't want to meet him. He's dangerous."
She br