all
devoted to formulating a plan whereby she might see Dic and beg his
forgiveness after a fashion that would have been a revelation to
Williams.

Several days of furious storm ensued, during which our Rita, for the
first time in her life, was too ill to go abroad.

Mr. Bays had gone to Indianapolis with Williams, and returned on
Thursday's coach, having failed to raise the three thousand dollars. At
the supper table, on the evening of his return, Tom offered a
suggestion.

"I'll tell you where you can get most of the money," he said. "Dic has
twenty-six hundred dollars in Billy Little's box. He'll loan it to you."

"That's just the thing," cried Mrs. Bays, joyfully. "Tom, you are the
smartest boy on Blue. It took you to help us out." One would have
thought from her praise that Tom, and not Dic, was to furnish the money.
Addressing her husband, she continued:--

"You go over and see him this evening. If he won't loan it to us after
all we have done for him, he ought to be horsewhipped."

"What have we ever done for him?" asked Tom. The Chief Justice sought
for an answer. Failing to find a better one, she replied:--

"He's had five hundred meals in this house if he's had one."

"And he's given us five hundred deer and turkeys if he's given us one,"
answered Tom.

"Well, you know, Tom, just as well as I do, that we have always been
helping him. It is only your generous nature keeps you from saying so,"
responded Mrs. Bays. Tom laughed, and Tom, Sr., said:--

"I'll go over and see him this evening. I wonder where he has been? I
haven't seen him but once since he came home."

"Guess Williams scared him off," suggested Tom.

Rita tried in vain to think of some plan whereby she might warn Dic
against loaning the money, or prevent her father from asking it. After
supper Tom went to town while his father went up to see Dic.

When the after-supper work was finished, Mrs. Bays took her knitting and
sat before the fire in the front room. Rita, wishing to be alone,
remained in the kitchen, watching the fire die down and cuddling her
grief. She had been there but a few minutes when the outer door opened
and in walked Dic.

"I have come to ask you if you have forgotten me?" he said.

The girl answered with a cry of joy, and ran to him.

"Ah, Dic, I have forgotten all else. Forgive me. Forgive me," she
replied, and as the tears came, he drew her to his side.

"But, Rita--this man Williams?" he asked.

"I ... I