ythin'. You kin bet your life
on that! An' then Richards and the rest come to him an' said as how Seth
Stevens was faintin', an' schoolmaster he ran to the crick an' brought
water and put over him. An' then I runned to tell you--schoolmaster's
strong, I guess, stronger nor pappa. I seed him put on his vest, an'
Seth Stevens he was settin' up, all blood and water on his face, streaky
like; he did look bad. But, Loo--say, Loo! Why didn't schoolmaster
when he got him down the first time, jest stomp on his face with his
heels?--he had his boots on--an' that's how Seth Stevens broke Tom
Cooper's jaw when _they_ fit."

The girl was white, and trembling from head to foot as the boy ended his
narrative, and looked inquiringly into her face. She could not answer.
Indeed, she had hardly heard the question. The thought of what might
have happened to her lover appalled her, and terror and remorse held her
heart as in a vice. But oh!--and the hot tears came into her eyes--she'd
tell him when they met how sorry she was for it all, and how bad she had
been, and how she hated herself. She had acted foolish, very; but she
hadn't meant it She'd be more careful in future, much more careful. How
brave he was and kind! How like him it was to get the water! Oh! if he'd
only come.

All this while Jake looked at her curiously; at length he said, "Say,
Loo, s'pose he'd had his eye plugged out."

"Go away--do!" she exclaimed angrily. "I believe you boys jest love
fightin' like dogs."

Jake disappeared to tell and retell the tale to any one who cared to
listen.

Half an hour later Loo, who had climbed the bluff to command the view,
heard the sound of Jack's feet on the wooden bridge. A moment or two
more and the buggy drew up beside her; the schoolmaster bent forward and
spoke, without a trace of emotion in his voice:

"Won't you get in and let me drive you home, Miss Loo?" His victory
had put him in a good humour, without, however, altering his critical
estimate of the girl. The quiet, controlled tone of his voice chilled
and pained her, but her emotions were too recent and too acute to be
restrained.

"Oh, George!" she said, leaning forward against the buggy, and scanning
his face intently. "How can you speak so? You ain't hurt, are you?"

"No!" he answered lightly. "You didn't expect I should be, did you?" The
tone was cold, a little sarcastic even.

Again she felt hurt; she scarcely knew why; the sneer was too
far-fetched for her