h his four "eighties" was not a price commensurate with the
winsome girl. But having no one else in mind, she permitted his visits
with a full knowledge of their purpose, and hoped that chance or her
confidential friend, Providence, might bring a nobler prize within
range of the truly great attractiveness of Tom's sister.

Mrs. Bays knew that the life she and her neighbors were leading was poor
and crude. She also knew that men of wealth and position were eagerly
seeking rare girls of Rita's type. By brooding over better things than
Dic could offer, her hope grew into a strong desire, and with Rita's
increasing beauty this motherly desire took the form of faith. Still,
Dic's visits were permitted to continue, and doubtless would be
permitted so long as they should be made ostensibly to the family.

Tom's remarks upon Sukey and Sukey's observations concerning Dic had
opened Rita's eyes to certain methods prevalent among laddies and
lasses, and as a result Sukey, for the time, became _persona non grata_
to her old-time friend. Rita was not at the time capable of active
jealousy. She knew Sukey was pretty enough, and, she feared, bold enough
to be dangerous in the matter of Dic, but she trusted him. Sukey
certainly was prettily bedecked with the pinkest and whitest of cheeks,
twinkling dimples, and sparkling eyes; but for real beauty she was not
in Rita's class, and few men would think of her fleshly charms twice
when they might be thinking of our little heroine.

Thus Tom and Sukey became fountain-heads of unhallowed knowledge upon
subjects concerning which every young girl, however pure, has a
consuming curiosity.

Rita had heard of the "kissing games" played by the youngsters, and a
few of the oldsters, too, at country frolics, corn-huskings, and church
socials; but as I have told you, the level-headed old Chief Justice had
wisely kept her daughter away from such gatherings, and Rita knew little
of the kissing, and never telling what was going on about her. Tom and
Sukey had thrown light upon the subject for her, and she soon
understood, feared, and abhorred. Would she ever pity and embrace?

THE DEBUTANTE

CHAPTER IV

THE DEBUTANTE

A year after the small happenings I have just related, great events
began to cluster about Dic. They were truly great for him and of course
were great for Rita.

Through Billy Little's aid Dic received an offer from an eastern horse
buyer to lead a drove of horses to New