as not the runaway returning.

The mate of the latter appeared, and he came jogging along the road,
very much in hand, the rider seemingly quite unflurried.

This was a big, ungainly, beak-nosed boy, whose sleeves were much too
short, and trousers-legs likewise, to hide Nature's abundant gift to him
in the matter of bone and knuckle. He was freckled and wore a grin that
was not even sheepish.

Somehow, this stolidity and inappreciation of the peril the girl had so
recently escaped, made Hiram feel sudden indignation.

But the girl herself took the lout to task--before Hiram could say a
word.

"I told you that horse could not bear the whip, Peter!" she exclaimed,
with wrathful gaze. "How dared you strike him?"

"Aw--I only touched him up a bit," drawled the youth. "You said you
could ride anything, didn't you?" and his grin grew wider. "But I see ye
had to get off."

Here Hiram could stand it no longer, and he blurted out:

"She might have been killed! I believe that horse is running yet----"

"Well, why didn't you stop it?" demanded the other youth, "impudently.
You had a chance."

"He saved me," cried the girl, looking at Hiram now with shining eyes.
"I don't know how to thank him."

"He might have stopped the horse while he was about it," growled the
fellow, picking up his own reins again. "Now I'll have to ride after
it."

"You'd better," said the little lady, sharply. "If father knew that
horse had run away with me he would be dreadfully put out. You hurry
after him, Peter."

The lout never said a word in reply, but his horse carried him swiftly
out of sight in the wake of the runaway. Then the girl turned again to
Hiram and the young farmer knew that he was being keenly examined by her
bright black eyes.

"I am very sure father will not keep him," declared the girl, looking at
Hiram thoughtfully. "He is too careless--and I don't like him, anyway.
Do you live around here?"

"I expect to," replied Hiram, smiling. "I have just come. I am going to
stay at this next house, along the road."

"Oh! where the old gentleman died last week?"

"Yes. Mrs. Atterson was left the place by her uncle, and I am going to
run it for her."

"Oh, dear! then you've got a place to work?" queried the little lady,
with plain disappointment in her tone. "I am sure father would like to
have you instead of Peter."

But Hiram shook his head slowly, though still smiling,

"I'm obliged to you," he said; "but I have agree