ht they maddened her, filled her with an ominous
fear such as she had never before felt. When Lon saved her from
drowning, and had scathed Lem for his actions, she had hoped--oh, how
she had hoped!--that he would let her fill Granny Cronk's place. She
glanced at the squatter again.

Lon was staring out upon the lake with eyes somber and restless, eyes
darkening under thoughts that threshed through his brains like a
whirlwind. He was face to face with a long-looked-for revenge. Through
the pain of Flea he could still see that wraith woman who had haunted
him all the past-shadowed years. He believed with all his soul that then
Midge would sink into his arms, silent in her spirit of thankfulness,
and would always stay with him until he, too, should be called to join
her; for Lon had never once doubted that in some future time he would be
with his woman. If anyone had asked him during the absence of Flea and
Flukey which one of them he would rather have had back in the hut, he
would undoubtedly have chosen the girl; for well he knew that she was
capable of suffering more than a boy. Still, he moved uneasily when he
thought of the soft bed and the kindly hands that were ministering to
the son of his enemy.

Suddenly the squatter dragged his pipe from his lips and said:

"Look about here, Flea!"

The girl turned her head.

"What, Pappy Lon?" she questioned.

"Keep yer mouth shet!" commanded Lon. "I'll do the talkin' fer this
shanty."

Then, seeing her cowering spirit racked by fear, he grinned broadly.
Fledra sank back.

"I've always said as how I were a goin' to make money out of ye, and
I've found a chance where, if Lem ain't a fool, he'll jine in, too. Will
I tell ye?" Lon's question brought the dark head closer to him. "Ye
needn't speak if ye don't want to," sneered he; "but I'll tell ye jest
the same! Do ye know who's goin' to own ye afore long?" Fledra's
widening eyes questioned him, while her lips trembled. "I can see that
ye wants to find out. Does ye know a young fellow by the name of
Brimbecomb?" Observing that she did not make an effort to speak, Lon
proceeded with a perceptible drawl. "Well, if the cat's got yer tongue,
I'll wag mine a bit in yer stead. Brimbecomb's offered to buy ye, and,
if Lem says that it'll be all right, then I says yep, too."

Fledra found her voice uttering unintelligible words. She was slowly
advancing on her knees toward the squatter, her face working into
strong, mature lines