y.

"No," returned Steve, "though perhaps I might have been at first had
not my little foster-mother been loyal to Kentucky mountain need. But
my experience the past three years as teacher has made it impossible
for me to ever get away from the outstretched hand of Kentucky
mountain children," and his voice dropped into deep earnestness.

"I can understand how you feel," said Nancy after a little silence. "I
could not help being interested in the school when it was opened here.
Little children came trudging in from the most barren cabin homes,
wide-eyed, and eager to 'larn,' and grown-up men and women tramped
barefoot miles and miles every day to try to get some of the 'larnin'
they'd heard about. Then they would plod away with the utmost patience
trying to read and write. It was intensely pathetic. Nothing has ever
touched and interested me so much as some supply work I have done for
our school," she added, a light upon her face, which thrilled Steve's
heart anew. What a help she could be to him in his chosen work!

"I am so glad you have felt the appeal of mountain need," said he,
struggling to keep the thrill out of his voice. And then he told her
of his hopes and plans, of the dream he had of a new school within
reach of Hollow Hut, a region to which new possibilities were about to
come, he had learned at the county seat, through a projected railroad
line. Of how he hoped to have help in the work from Mr. and Mrs. Polk
and perhaps other capitalists of the north, and she was most
interested, most appreciative, showing all the sweet seriousness of
little Nancy of old.

But this long talk of some two hours which revealed again congenial
tastes and ideals of life for the two only served to make Steve's
heart more intensely rebellious when, after supper, Raymond walked in
once more with his debonair proprietorship of Nancy. As it happened
she had just stepped out under the trees to get a bit of fancy work
left there in the afternoon, and Raymond joining her, barricaded the
way to the house, insisting that the "old folks" were glad to get rid
of them, till she laughingly sat with him there. It had been purely
accidental, her going out just then, and she remained with inward
protest, but Steve could only see in it complete surrender to the
ardent suitor.

Mrs. Follet had not yet come out and Mr. Follet turned to Steve,
laughing in a pleased way.

"I don't mind telling you, for I know you are interested," he said
co