wn."

I halted to wait for him. He stopped a moment to shake hands with Chyd,
and then he hastened to me. "Old man, I've got something to tell you,"
he said. "Let's walk down this way--no, not over in the road, but up
the hollow." He gripped my arm tightly, walked fast, then slowly and
then stopped. "Let's sit down here, Bill." We seated ourselves on a
rock. "You have been over to the General's, along with Chyd and Guinea,
haven't you? Of course, you have--what's the use of asking that? Do you
know what I did to-day? Not long after dinner I went over there
determined to find out how I stood. I was brave until I got nearly to
the house and then my courage failed. I stood by the fence in the
blackberry briars and gazed at the house. After a while I saw her come
out and start down the Ebeneezer road. And then I whipped round and met
her. And as I stood beside the road, waiting for her to come up I
noticed for the first time that the sun was nearly down. For hours I had
been standing in the briars. I pretended not to see her; let on like I
was hunting for a squirrel up in a tree, until she came up. Then I spoke
to her and she started as if she was scared. She said that she was going
over to Lum Smith's to tell the young people to come over at night, and
I asked her if I might walk along with her. She said with a laugh that I
might go part of the way, and then I knew that she was ashamed for any
one to see her with me. This cut me to the red, but I walked along with
her. I felt that I had nothing to say that would interest her, but I
kept on talking, and once in a while she would look up at me and laugh.
At last, and it was just as we came within sight of Smith's place, I
asked her what she really thought of Dan Stuart. I knew that this was a
fool's break, and if it hadn't been I don't suppose I would have made
it. She looked up at me, but she didn't laugh this time. I begged her
pardon for my rudeness, and she reminded me that I was only to come a
part of the way with her. I then told her that I would wait for her to
come back. She said that she might not come back that way. I replied
that no matter which way she came back I would see her. She went on,
laughing now, and I waited, but I didn't have to wait long before I saw
her coming. As she came up I asked her if she was ready to grant my
pardon and she wanted to know what about. We walked along together and
she began to tell me about her brother, how smart he was and all t