nto
his reaching stride. "Thanks." The stranger looked back with the last
word; at the same time Miss Dyer turned her head. They smiled.

"And they turned Lot's wife into a pillar of salt!" said Mr. Lull
bitterly.

"He had such smiling eyes," urged Lyn.

"Ruin and destruction! See! Edith! Spread out--head her off!" Hobby
grabbed Lyn's bridle rein and led his captive away at a triumphant
trot.

They turned aside to inspect the doubtful passage where the future
ditch must clamber and twist to cross Deadman; Hobby Lull explained,
defended, expounded; he bristled with estimates, alternative levels
and acre costs; here was the inevitable way, but yonder there was a
choosing; at that long gray point, miles away, the ditch must leave
the river to gain the needed grades. He sparkled with irresistible
enthusiasm, he overbore opposition.

"Look here, folks!" said Hobby. "See those thunder-heads? It's
clouding up fast. It's going to rain and there's not a man in town can
stop it. I aimed to take you up and show you the place we picked to
make the ditch head, but I judge we best go home. We can see the ditch
head another day."

"Now was I convinced or only persuaded?" Charlie See made the
grumbling demand of Edith as they set their faces homeward.

Yet he was secretly impressed; he paused by jungle and sandy swale
or ribbed and gullied slope for admiration of orchards unplanted
and friendly homesteads yet to be; he drew rein by a pear thicket
and peered half enviously into its thorny impenetrable keeps.

"Who lives there, Edith? That's the best place we've seen. Big
fine house and all, but it looks comfortable and homey, just the
same--mighty pleasant and friendly. And them old-fashioned flower
beds are right quaint."

"Hollyhocks," she breathed; "and marigolds, and four o'clocks. An
old-fashioned woman lives here."

Charlie's voice grew wistful. "I might have had a place like this just
as well as not--if I'd only had sense enough to hear and hark. Hobby
Lull brought me out here and put me wise, years ago, but I wouldn't
listen. There was a bunch of us. Hobby and--and--now who else was
it? It was a merry crowd, I can remember that. Hobby did all the
talking--but who were the others? And have they forgotten too? It was
a long time ago, before the big ditch. Oh, dear! I do wish I could
remember who was with me!"

His voice trailed off to silence and a sigh that was only half
assumed.

"You make it seem very real," s