ough hell's fire. Oh! will I ever forget his ravings when he
lay so ill? He means more to me than just one man. He's American. You're
American, too, Lee, and you trained to be a soldier, and you would have
made a grand one--if I know old Arizona. But you were not called to
France.... Glenn Kilbourne went. God only knows what that means. But he
went. And there's the difference. I saw the wreck of him. I did a little
to save his life and his mind. I wouldn't be an American girl if I
didn't love him.... Oh, Lee, can't you understand?"

"I reckon so. I'm not begrudging Glenn what--what you care. I'm only
afraid I'll lose you."

"I never promised to marry you, did I?"

"Not in words. But kisses ought to--?"

"Yes, kisses mean a lot," she replied. "And so far I stand committed.
I suppose I'll marry you some day and be blamed lucky. I'll be happy,
too--don't you overlook that hunch.... You needn't worry. Glenn is in
love with Carley. She's beautiful, rich--and of his class. How could he
ever see me?"

"Flo, you can never tell," replied Stanton, thoughtfully. "I didn't like
her at first. But I'm comin' round. The thing is, Flo, does she love him
as you love him?"

"Oh, I think so--I hope so," answered Flo, as if in distress.

"I'm not so shore. But then I can't savvy her. Lord knows I hope so,
too. If she doesn't--if she goes back East an' leaves him here--I reckon
my case--"

"Hush! I know she's out here to take him back. Let's go downstairs now."

"Aw, wait--Flo," he begged. "What's your hurry?... Come-give me--"

"There! That's all you get, birthday or no birthday," replied Flo,
gayly.

Carley heard the soft kiss and Stanton's deep breath, and then footsteps
as they walked away in the gloom toward the stairway. Carley leaned
against the log wall. She felt the rough wood--smelled the rusty pine
rosin. Her other hand pressed her bosom where her heart beat with
unwonted vigor. Footsteps and voices sounded beneath her. Twilight had
deepened into night. The low murmur of the waterfall and the babble of
the brook floated to her strained ears.

Listeners never heard good of themselves. But Stanton's subtle doubt of
any depth to her, though it hurt, was not so conflicting as the ringing
truth of Flo Hutter's love for Glenn. This unsought knowledge powerfully
affected Carley. She was forewarned and forearmed now. It saddened her,
yet did not lessen her confidence in her hold on Glenn. But it stirred
to perplexing pitch