igging up the dusty soil with
their fat little fingers. Jessie did not reappear.

At last a light, decided step sounded on the creek side of the house.
It drew nearer. A moment or two later a shadow flitted across the
window. Then suddenly a man's head and shoulders filled up the
opening. The head bent forward, craning into the room, and a pair of
handsome eyes peered curiously round.

"Hi!" he cried in a suppressed tone. "Hi! Jessie!"

The bedroom curtain was flung aside, and Jessie, arrayed carefully in
her best shirtwaist and skirt, suddenly appeared in the doorway. Her
eyes were glowing with excitement and fear. But her rich coloring was
alight with warmth, and the man stared in admiration. Yes, she was
very good to look upon.

CHAPTER II

THE HARVEST OF PASSION

For one passionate moment the woman's radiant face held the gaze of
the man. He was swayed with an unwholesome hunger at the sight of her
splendid womanhood. The beautiful, terrified eyes, so full of that
allurement which ever claims all that is vital in man; the warm
coloring of her delicately rounded cheeks, so soft, so downy; the
perfect undulations of her strong young figure--these things caught
him anew, and again set raging the fire of a reckless, vicious
passion. In a flash he had mounted to the sill of the window-opening,
and dropped inside the room.

"Say--Jessie," he breathed hotly. "You're--you're fine."

His words were almost involuntary. It was as though they were a mere
verbal expression of what was passing through his mind, and made
without thought of addressing her. He was almost powerless in his
self-control before her beauty. And Jessie's conscience in its weakly
life could not hold out before the ardor of his assault. Her eyelids
lowered. She stood waiting, and in a moment the bold invader held her
crushed in his arms.

She lay passive, yielding to his caresses for some moments. Then of a
sudden she stirred restlessly. She struggled weakly to free herself.
Then, as his torrential kisses continued, sweeping her lips, her eyes,
her cheeks, her hair, something like fear took hold of her. Her
struggles suddenly became real, and at last she stood back panting,
but with her young heart mutely stirred to a passionate response.

Nor was it difficult, as they stood thus, to understand how nature
rose dominant over all that belonged to the higher spiritual side of
the woman. The wonderful virility in her demanded life in the fu