emed to know instinctively all those
little attentions in which women so delight, and he could talk,
too, very entertainingly of the things he had seen. To the simple
girl of the backwoods, he succeeded in making the life in the city
appear very wonderful, indeed. Neither was Sammy insensible to the
influence of his position, and his prospective wealth, with the
advantages that these things offered. Then, with all this, he
loved her dearly; and when, if you please, was ever a woman wholly
unmoved by the knowledge that she held first place in a man's
heart?

For two weeks they were together nearly every day, sometimes
spending the afternoon at the girl's home on the side of Dewey, or
roving over the nearby hills; sometimes going for long rides
through the great woods to pass the day with friends, returning in
the evening to find Jim smoking in the doorway of the darkened
cabin.

When Mr. Lane, at the end of the first week, asked his daughter,
in his point blank fashion, what she was going to do with young
Stewart, the girl answered, "He must have his chance, Daddy. He
mast have a good fair chance. I--I don't know what it is, but
there is--I--I don't know, Daddy. I am sure I loved him when he
want away, that is, I think I am sure." And Jim, looking into her
eyes, agreed heartily; then he took down his violin to make joyful
music far into the night.

Ollie did not see Young Matt after their meeting on the Lookout.
The big fellow, too, avoided the couple, and Sammy, for some
reason, carefully planned their rides so that they would not be
likely to meet their neighbor an the ridge. Once, indeed, they
called at the Matthews place, walking over in the evening, but
that was when Sammy knew that Young Matt was not at home.

Day after day as they talked together, the girl tried honestly to
enter into the life of the man she had promised to marry. But
always there was that feeling of something lacking. Just what that
something was, or why she could not feel completely satisfied,
Sammy did not understand. But the day was soon to come when she
would know the real impulses of her heart.

Since that first afternoon, Ollie had not tried to force his suit.
While, in a hundred little ways, he had not failed to make her
feel his love, he had never openly attempted the role of lover. He
was conscious that to put the girl constantly upon the defensive
would be disastrous to his hopes; and in this, he was wise. But
the time had come