e of the childlike simplicity which
characterized her still.

"I see," he answered slowly and a little ashamed, then added lightly,
"but you have apparently forgotten that you adopted me as a
foster-brother this morning."

For a moment she said nothing; then the old misty smile touched her
lips, and she replied, "I shor' most forgot that, and it makes it all
right. Please, Doctor Mac, don't think that I didn't enjoy for you to do
it."

There succeeded another brief, awkward silence. Then Smiles slipped her
arm about Donald's neck with frank, childlike affection, and leaned
close to him, her young, warm being thrilling his senses, as he full
well realized Marion's infrequent embraces never had.

Shocked and distressed by his own emotions, Donald was the first to
withdraw his encircling arm, with an intent to continue the lesson. But
it was ended.

During the brief interlude Lou had stood regarding the man and girl
uncomprehendingly. Now she piped up, "Smiles loves ye er heap, I reckon,
doctor man, an' so does I. Ef she don't marry with ye, I'll do hit when
I gits bigger."

"My, but I'm a fortunate man to have _three_ fair ladies love me, and I
won't forget your promise," Donald laughed merrily.

"But my brother Juddy don't love ye none," said the child, innocently
bringing a cloud over the friendly sunshine in her hearers' hearts.
Donald looked at Rose uneasily as he answered.

"Oh, I hope he will like me some day. We should be the best of friends,
for we both care for the same two dear girls."

"Where _is_ Juddy?" came Smiles' somewhat troubled query.

"Oh, he air away ergin; up in ther mountain."

The shadow deepened on Rose's face and Donald caught the sound of a
distressed, "Oh."

"What's the matter?" he asked without special thought.

"It haint ... it isn't anything ... leastwise it isn't anything that I
can tell you about, doctor Mac. I ... I just don't like for him to go up
there."

A feeling closely akin to jealousy stirred Donald's heart. Did that
uncouth young mountaineer really mean something to her after all?

CHAPTER XIII

GATHERING CLOUDS

Despite Smiles' ingenuous proffer of a sister's affection, Donald was
troubled with an unreasonable dissatisfaction over the course which the
events of the morning had taken, and he knew that it was unreasonable,
which made it worse. Now he suddenly announced that he guessed he would
not wait until the afternoon before going down to Fayville