it while he added:

"Maybe you'd better forget all I said to-night--be patient with
me--remember how long I have waited."

He was off and sprang into the buggy, elated. Never before had she
let him hold her hand even for a moment. He felt, he knew, that he
would win her.

He turned the horses and drove off.

From Westmoreland Travis drove straight toward the town. The
trotters, keen and full of play, flew along, tossing their queenly
heads in the very exuberance of life.

At The Gaffs, he drew rein: "Now, Jim, I'll be back at midnight. You
sleep light until I come in, and have their bedding dry and blankets
ready."

He tossed the boy a dollar as he drove off.

Up the road toward the town he drove, finally slackening his
trotters' speed as he came into the more thickly settled part of the
outskirts. Sand Mountain loomed high in the faint moonlight, and at
its base, in the outposts of the town, arose the smoke-stack of the
cotton mills.

Around it lay Cottontown.

Slowly he brought the nettled trotters down to a walk. Quietly he
turned them into a shaded lane, overhung with forest trees, near
which a cottage, one of the many belonging to the mill, stood in the
shadow of the forest.

Stopping his horses in the shadow, he drew out his watch and pressed
the stem. It struck eleven.

He drew up the buggy-top and taking the little silver whistle from
his pocket, gave a low whistle.

It was ten minutes later before the side door of the cottage opened
softly and a girl came noiselessly out. She slipped out, following
the shadow line of the trees until she came up to the buggy. Then she
threw the shawl from off her face and head and stood smiling up at
Travis. It had been a pretty face, but now it was pinched by overwork
and there was the mingling both of sadness and gladness in her eyes.
But at sight of Travis she blushed joyfully, and deeper still when he
held out his hand and drew her into the buggy and up to the seat
beside him.

"Maggie"--was all he whispered. Then he kissed her passionately on
her lips. "I am glad I came," he went on, as he put one arm around
her and drew her to him--"you're flushed and the ride will do you
good."

She was satisfied to let her head lie on his shoulder.

"They are beauties"--she said after a while, as the trotters'
thrilling, quick step brought the blood tingling to her veins.

"Beauties for the beauty," said Travis, kissing her again. Her brown
hair was in his face a