Chad laughed.

"No, he didn't. He come back, and I had to hide fer two days. Then,
because he couldn't find me he did go, thinking I had gone back to the
mountains, too. He went to look fer me."

"Well, if he comes back again I'll ask my papa to get them to let you
keep Jack at college," said Margaret.

Chad shook his head.

"Then I'll keep him for you myself." The boy looked his gratitude, but
shook his head again.

"He won't stay."

Margaret asked for the placard again as they moved down the street.

"You've got it spelled wrong," she said, pointing to "steel." Chad
blushed. "I can't spell when I write," he said. "I can't even
talk--right."

"But you'll learn," she said.

"Will you help me?"

"Yes."

"Tell me when I say things wrong?"

"Yes."

"Where'm I goin' to see you?"

Margaret shook her head thoughtfully: then the reason for her speaking
first to Chad came out.

"Papa and I saw you on Sunday, and papa said you must be very strong as
well as brave, and that you knew something about horses. Harry told us
who you were when papa described you, and then I remembered. Papa told
Harry to bring you to see us. And you must come," she said, decisively.

They had reached the turnstile at the campus again.

"Have you had any more tournaments?" asked Margaret.

"No," said Chad, apprehensively.

"Do you remember the last thing I said to you?"

"I rickollect that better'n anything," said Chad.

"Well, I didn't hate you. I'm sorry I said that," she said gently. Chad
looked very serious.

"That's all right," he said. "I seed--I saw you on Sunday, too."

"Did you know me?"

"I reckon I did. And that wasn't the fust time." Margaret's eyes were
opening with surprise.

"I been goin' to church ever' Sunday fer nothin' else but just to see
you." Again his tone gave her vague alarm, but she asked:

"Why didn't you speak to me?"

They were nearing the turnstile across the campus now, and Chad did not
answer.

"Why didn't you speak to me?"

Chad stopped suddenly, and Margaret looked quickly at him, and saw that
his face was scarlet. The little girl started and her own face flamed.
There was one thing she had forgotten, and even now she could not
recall what it was--only that it was something terrible she must not
know--old Mammy's words when Dan was carried in senseless after the
tournament. Frightened and helpless, she shrank toward the turnstile,
but Chad did not wait. With his cap in his h