ess in their innocent process of acquiring one hundred
and sixty acres of land apiece by means of a double dwelling place.
Upon the opposite side, protected by a screen, Franklin caught sight of
a corner of the other bed. There were also upon that side of the shack
a little table, a chair, and a dainty looking-glass, with a few other
such feminine appurtenances. Two wash-stands, with basins, went far
toward completing the remaining furniture. It must be admitted that
there was dust upon the table and in the basins. The housekeeper in
Mary Ellen apologized as she began to clean them. "We don't sleep here
very often," she said.

"And aren't you afraid?" said Franklin.

"Not now. We used to be afraid of the coyotes, though, of course, they
can't hurt us. Once uncle killed a rattlesnake in the shanty. It had
crawled in at the door. I don't think, though, that you could get Lucy
to sleep here alone overnight for all the land out of doors."

In order to make the needed repairs to the roof, it was necessary to
lay up again a part of the broken wall, then to hoist the fallen
rafters into place prior to covering the whole again with a deep layer
of earth. Franklin, standing upon a chair, put his shoulders under the
sagging beams and lifted them and their load of disarranged earth up to
the proper level on the top of the wall, while Buford built under them
with sods. It was no small weight that he upheld. As he stood he
caught an upturned telltale glance, a look of sheer feminine admiration
for strength, but of this he could not be sure, for it passed fleetly
as it came. He saw only the look of unconcern and heard only the
conventional word of thanks.

"Now, then, captain," said Buford, "I reckon we can call this shack as
good as new again. It ought to last out what little time it will be
needed. We might go back to the house now. Mightily obliged to you,
sir, for the help."

As Mary Ellen stepped into the buggy for the return home her face had
lost its pink. One of the mysterious revulsions of femininity had set
in. Suddenly, it seemed to her, she had caught herself upon the brink
of disaster. It seemed to her that all her will was going, that in
spite of herself she was tottering on toward some fascinating thing
which meant her harm. This tall and manly man, she must not yield to
this impulse to listen to him! She must not succumb to this wild
temptation to put her head upon a broad shoulder and to let