oin' to Hansard's. I'll bet my hat Bates means business with
Miss Harriet."

Westerfelt walked into the parlor of the hotel. A colored girl was
sweeping the carpet and went out to tell Harriet that he wished to see
her. Harriet didn't keep him waiting long. On rising she had dressed
for church. She wore a pretty gray gown with a graceful bow of ribbon
at her throat, and carried her cloak on her arm. She put it on the
sofa as she entered. She was agitated, and he felt her hand quiver
when he took it.

"I came to ask you to drive to the camp-ground with me," he said, as
her hand slid out of his; "will you go?"

"Why--why," she stammered, "I--I--promised to go with Mr. Bates; I'm
very sorry; if I had known--"

He glanced through the open door; his face had suddenly grown cold,
hard, and suspicious. He was jealous even of a man she had never been
with before. She sank into a chair and looked up at him helplessly,
appealingly. She knew he was jealous, and in that proof of his love
her heart went out to him.

"Oh, it don't matter," he said, quickly. "I'm going to drive out
myself anyway, and I thought if you had nobody to take you, you might
like to go 'long."

"He asked me yesterday," she faltered. Her voice was full of startled
concern. "I'd rather go with you, you know I had. I have never gone
with him anywhere. We are almost strangers. I--I would hardly know
how to talk to him."

She knew it was not with his natural voice that Westerfelt answered.
"Well," he said, coldly, "you can't go with two fellows, and he got to
you first. I reckon Bates knows the roads; you'd better take the
river-bottom route. Washburn says the other is not as good as it might
be. Good-bye."

He had reached the veranda when she called him back. As he re-entered
the room she rose and stepped towards him.

"Are you mad with me, Mr. Westerfelt?"

He was ashamed of himself, but he could not conquer his horrible humor.
"Not in the least; I don't blame you." His tone was still cold and his
glance averted. She put her handkerchief to her face in vexation, but
removed it quickly as she caught his glance.

"I'll not go; I'll stay at home," she affirmed.

"No, go; you'd never hear the end of it if you were to slight Bates."

"Shall I see you out there?"

"I reckon not," he laughed, harshly. "I never want anybody bothering
me when I take a girl anywhere, and I try to obey the Golden Rule with
other men. You belong to