ow?" demanded Bates, lighting his pipe.

"He's been botherin' my girl, that's what," responded Lafe.

"Jinnie?"

"Sure. She's all the girl I got.... Maudlin's got to stop it, Bates."

A cruel expression flitted over Jasper's face.

"I ain't nothin' to do with Maudlin's love affairs," said he. "Jinnie
could do worse'n get him, I'm a guessin'! Maudie adds up pretty good,
Maudie does!"

Lafe shook his head with a grim serenity that became the strained
white face.

"His addin' up ain't nothin' to his credit, Jasper," he protested.
"He's as crooked as a ram's horn an' you know it. If you don't, take
my word for it! There ain't nothin' doin' for him far's Jinnie's
concerned!... I sent for you to bargain with you." Jasper pricked up
his ears. The word "bargain" always attracted him.

"Well?" he questioned.

"You keep your boy from my girl and I'll do all your family cobblin'
for nothin' till Jinnie's a woman."

Bates leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs.

"It's a bargain, all right. Them kids of mine do wear out the soles of
their shoes some. But, Lafe, I can't tag Maudlin around all day."

Lafe took up his hammer.

"Lick him if he won't mind you, Bates. He's got to let my girl be, and
that's all there is to it."

Saying this, he started to work, giving the shortwood gatherer his
dismissal. Bates left his chair thoughtfully.

"I'll talk to Maudie," said he, "but he's an onery kid; has been ever
since his mother died. He don't git along with his stepma very well,
and she's got such a lot of little kids of 'er own she ain't time to
train no hulk of a boy like Maudlin."

Pausing a moment, he went on, "Maudlin's been madder'n hell because
that duffer King's been haulin' Jinnie's wood. He says----"

"It ain't any of Maudlin's business who helps Jinnie," interrupted
Lafe. "If you got any shoes needin' fixin', tote 'em over, Jasper."

Bates left the shop and Lafe fell to work vigorously.

* * * * *

Maudlin Bates stood at the path leading to the marshes. He was waiting
for Jinnie to appear with her load of shortwood. To the young wood
gatherer, a woman was created for man's special benefit, and a long
time ago he had made up his mind that Jinnie should be his woman.

He was leaning against a tree when the girl came in sight, with her
wood-strap on her shoulders. She paid no attention to him, and was
about to turn into Paradise Road when the man stepped in fr