rs of five thousand acres
of the best wheat land in Garrison County. He wants twenty thousand
acres, and pretty well bunched down in Pleasant and Spring townships,
and I'm going in four days." The young man was full of the scheme. He
went on: "John's a wonder, Molly,--a perfect wonder. He's got grit.
Father wouldn't have been able to stand up under this--but John has
braced him, and has cheered up the people, and I believe, before the
week is out, we will be able to get nearly all the depositors to agree
to leave their money alone for a year, and then only take it out on
thirty days' notice. And if we can get that, we can open up by the
first of the month. But I've got to go on to Washington to see if I
can arrange that with the comptroller of the currency."

They were standing at the Culpepper gate as he spoke. A light in the
upper windows showed that the parents were in. Buchanan came ambling
along the walk and went through the gate between them without
speaking. When he had closed the door, the girl came close to her
lover. He took her in his arms, and cried, "Oh, darling,--only four
more days together." He paused, and in the starlight she saw on his
face more than words could have told her of his love for her. He was a
silent youth; the spoken word came haltingly to his lips, and as often
happens, words were superfluous to him in his moments of great
emotion. He put her hands to his lips, and moaned, for the hour of
parting seemed to be hurrying down upon him. Finally his tongue found
liberty. "Oh, sweetheart--sweetheart," he cried, "always remember
that you are bound in my soul with the iron of youth's first love--my
only love. Oh, I never could again, dear,--only you--only you. After
this it would be a sacrilege."

They stood silent in the joy of their ecstacy for a long minute, then
he asked gently: "Do you understand, Molly,--do you understand? this
is forever for us, Molly,--forever. When one loves as we love--with
our childhood and youth welded into it all--whom God hath joined--"
he stammered; "oh, Molly, whom God hath joined," he whispered, and his
voice trembled as he sighed again, and kissed her, "whom God hath
joined. Oh, God--God, God!" cried the lover, as he closed his eyes
with his lips against her hair.

The restless horses recalled the lovers to the earth. It was Molly who
spoke. "Bob--Bob--I can't let you go!"

Molly Culpepper had no reserves with her lover. She went on
whispering, with, her fa