mp's voice made Randy turn and look at
him. The little man had his arms full of biscuit boxes, and he was
gazing at Randy with a light in his eyes which had not been for Dalton.

"I had three years myself. And the best of my life, sir."

Randy nodded. "A lot of us feel that way."

"The fighting," said Kemp, "was something awful. But it was--big--and
after it things seem a bit small, sir." He drew a long breath and came
back to his Canton teapot and his folding table and his plans for
departure.

"I'll be glad to take you in the little car, Mr. Paine."

"No," said Randy; "no, thank you, Kemp. I'll wait here until the storm
is over."

Kemp, with a black rubber cape buttoned about his shoulders and
standing out over his load like a lady's hoopskirts, bobbed down the
path and was gone.

Randy was glad to be alone. He was glad to get wet, he was glad of the
roar and of the tumult which matched the tumult in his soul.

Somehow he had never dreamed of this--that somebody would come into
Becky's life and take her away----

Nellie Custis shivered and whined. She hated thunder-storms. Randy
sat down on the step and she crept close to him. He laid his hand on
her head and fear left her--as fear had left Becky in the presence of
Dalton.

After that the boy and the dog sat like statues, looking out, and in
those tense and terrible moments a new spirit was born in Randolph
Paine. Hitherto he had let life bring him what it would. He had
scarcely dared hope that it would bring him Becky. But now he knew
that if he lost her he would face--chaos----

Well, he would not lose her. Or if he did, it would not be to let her
marry a man like Dalton. Surely she wouldn't. She _couldn't_---- But
there had been that light in her eyes, that flame in her cheek--that
lack of fear--Dalton's air of assurance, the way she had turned to him.

"Oh, God," he said suddenly, out loud, "don't let Dalton have her."

He was shaken by an emotion which bent his head to his knees. Nellie
Custis pressed close against him and whined.

"He shan't have her, Nellie. He shan't----"

He burned with the thought of Dalton's look of triumph. Dalton who had
carried Becky off, and had left him with Kemp and a Canton teapot.

He recalled Kemp's words. "After it things seem a bit small, sir."

Well, it shouldn't be small for him. It had seemed so big--over there.
So easy to--carry on.

If he only had a fighting chance. If he had only