with her?"

Laddie took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. His feet
were planted widely apart, and his face was sober enough for any
funeral now. At last he spoke.

"I've been trying to figure that out," he said slowly. "I believe the
situation is as open to you as it is to me. She was a desperately
lonely, homesick girl, when she caught my eye and heart; and I placed
myself on her horizon. In her case the women were slow in offering
friendship, because, on account of Mrs. Pryor's seclusion, none was
felt to be wanted; then Miss Pryor was different in dress and manner.
I found a way to let her see that I wanted to be friends, and she
accepted my friendship, and at the same time allowed it go only so far.
On a few rare occasions, I've met her alone, and we've talked out
various phases of life together; but most of our intercourse has taken
place in your home, and in your presence. You probably have seen her
meet and entertain her friends frequently. I should think you would be
more nearly able to gauge my standing with her than I am."

"You haven't told her that you love her?"

"Haven't I though?" cried Laddie. "Man alive! What do you think I'm
made of? Putty? Told her? I've told her a thousand times. I've said
it, and sung it and whistled it, and looked it, and lived it. I've
written it, and ridden it, and this week I've plowed it! Your daughter
knows as she knows nothing else, in all this world, that she has only
to give me one glance, one word, one gesture of invitation, to find me
before her six feet of the worst demoralized beefsteak a woman ever
undertook to handle. Told her? Ye Gods! I should say I've told her!"

If any of Pryors had been outdoors they certainly could have heard Mr.
Pryor. How he laughed! He shook until he tottered. Laddie took his
arm and led him to the fence. He lifted a broad top rail, pushed it
between two others across a corner and made a nice comfortable seat for
him. After a while Mr. Pryor wiped his eyes. Laddie stood watching
him with a slow grin on his face.

"And she hasn't given the signal you are waiting for?" he asked at last.

Laddie slowly shook his head.

"Nary the ghost of a signal!" he said. "Now we come to Sunday before
last. I only intimated, vaguely, that a hint of where I stood would be
a comfort--and played Jonah. The whale swallowed me at a gulp, and for
all my inches, never batted an eye. You see, a few days before I
sh