rate one--a last resort. I
can't promise you anything certainly, but she's still alive, and I
honestly believe that she is going to live--and get well."

For an instant the listener stood motionless. Then his pent-up emotions
broke their bounds in one deep, shuddering breath, and he sank down
beside the boulder, flung his tensed arms across it, and buried his face
on them.

At last he spoke, hoarsely, and without raising his head. "I done my
damnedest ter kill ye, an' now yo' ... yo' saves Lou's life fer me. I
reckon I don't know how ter thank ye, er repay ... but ... my life air
yourn ter take hit, ef yo' likes."

"Nonsense," was the sharp response. "And as for thanks, why I don't want
any. I did it for Smiles' sake."

The kneeling body quivered once; but, when the answer came, it was
uttered in even tones. "Yes, I reckoned so. Yo' hev the right ter do
things fer her, an' I ... I haint. She ... she warnt fer me ... never. I
warnt never worthy uv her."

"She isn't for me, either," said Donald. "And besides, I'm no more
worthy of her than you, Judd. I should have told you long ago--I was a
fool not to have done so--I'm going to marry another girl,--a girl at
home whom I have known all my life."

"Do Rose know hit?" came the mountaineer's quick, suspicious query.

"Of course she does; she's known it for a year. Judd ..." he seated
himself beside the younger man. "I want to tell you that I was
altogether to blame for ... for what happened up there last summer. I
should have told you then, and ... and I'm sorry."

"No, hit war I who war ter blame."

"Well, let's both try to forget it, now. You owe me nothing for
to-night; but you owe Rose a debt of gratitude that you can never hope
to pay in full, my boy."

"I knows hit. I kaint never pay even part uv hit."

"I think that you can."

"How kin I?"

"I don't pretend to be much of a preacher, but I can say this as a man,
Judd. By trying to live the kind of a life she would have you live. She
wants to be your friend."

"I haint fit ter be named friend uv her'n, after what I done," he
replied, dully.

"But _we're_ going to forget all about that, and certainly she won't
hold it against you, lad. I heard your Mr. Talmadge talking about ...
about religious things, once, and I think that, if he were here now, he
would tell you that Smiles and little Lou, together, have made what ...
what the Bible calls 'atonement' for what ... for what you did. Smiles'
love and