offered hand.
He turned with a flushed cheek and walked slowly towards the door. Her
laugh stopped him.

"Come! I reckon that squeezin' hands ain't no part of your contract with
Sandy?" she said, glancing down at her own. "Well, so you're goin'?"

"I only wished to talk seriously and prayerfully with you for a few
moments, Safie, and then--to see you no more."

"And how would that suit him," she said dryly, "if he wants your company
here? Then, just because you can't convert me and bring me to your ways
of thinkin' in one visit, I suppose you think it is Christian-like to
run away like this! Or do you suppose that, if you turn tail now, he
won't believe that your Christian strength and Christian resignation is
all humbug?"

Madison dropped into the chair, put his elbows on the table, and buried
his face in his hands. She came a little nearer, and laid her hand
lightly on his arm. He made a movement as if to take it, but she
withdrew it impatiently.

"Come," she said brusquely; "now you're in for it you must play the game
out. He trusts you; if he sees you can't trust yourself, he'll shoot you
on sight. That don't frighten you? Well, perhaps this will then! He'll
SAY your religion is a sham and you a hypocrite--and everybody will
believe him. How do you like that, Brother Wayne? How will that help
the Church? Come! You're a pair of cranks together; but he's got the
whip-hand of you this time. All you can do is to keep up to his idea
of you. Put a bold face on it, and come here as often as you can--the
oftener the better; the sooner you'll both get sick of each other--and
of ME. That's what you're both after, ain't it? Well! I can tell you
now, you needn't either of you be the least afraid of me."

She walked away to the window again, not angrily, but smoothing down the
folds of her bright print dress as if she were wiping her hands of her
husband and his guest. Something like a very material and man-like sense
of shame struggled up through his crust of religion. He stammered, "You
don't understand me, Safie."

"Then talk of something I do understand," she said pertly. "Tell me
some news of Angel's. Your brother was over there the other day. He
made himself quite popular with the young ladies--so I hear from Mrs.
Selvedge. You can tell me as we walk along the bank towards Sandy's
claim. It's just as well that you should move on now, as it's your FIRST
call, and next time you can stop longer." She went to the corne