dyin' to know, but you told me not to ask."

"I didn't kill him because--"

"Not because you were afraid to try," she broke in.

"No. It was because they told me that--that you loved him."

"What!" she cried, blazing at him, "I love that--that skeer crow! Oh,
how could they tell you such a thing; and if you believed it I am mad at
you."

This greatly distressed him and he was quick to reply, "Oh, I didn't
believe it much, you know."

"But you believed it strong enough not to--"

"Oh," he pleaded, "don't play me like a fish. Take the hook out of my
mouth and don't make me flop. How did I know you didn't love him? Why,
the prettiest girl I ever saw loved a--a scarecrow. And I wouldn't harm
a scarecrow that you loved. I may be a scarecrow myself--I feel like
one, and I know I must act like one, but I love you and I want you to be
my wife."

And now she was all of a flutter. "Oh, you love me? Do you--do you?" She
clasped her hands and he took them and drew her toward him.

"Do I? Why, I love you till I haven't got any sense. Didn't you see me
out there in the rain yesterday?" She shook her head, looking down,
hiding her eyes from him. "Didn't you see me there? I didn't have sense
enough to come in."

She snatched away her hands and stood looking at him. "Would you live a
lie, like the man that married your aunt? Would you?"

"Oh, he was a sport."

"A 'sport!'" she gasped. "What's that?"

"A fool that thinks he's got a sure thing when he hasn't. A man who
might risk his home on the turn of a card. I'm not that sort of a
fellow. I never loved any girl but you, and I never can love any other."

"Oh, can it be true?" she cried, gazing at him; and neither of them saw
Old Jasper, who at this moment came through the gap. He halted and stood
perfectly still looking at them.

"You know it is true," said Tom. He put his hands upon his breast. "Why,
when I first saw you it seemed--seemed that they were lighting candles
all around in here. And Lou, you must be my wife. Don't you know it is
true?"

"Yes, I know," she replied, with her hand upon her heart, as if to calm
it; "yes, I know, but there is somethin' a flutterin' here and I'm
afraid it will fly away. But--but I love you so!"

In his arms he seized her and slowly Old Jasper came to them as they
stood, lost to all earth, and about them he put his brown arms. They
sprang apart and he took his daughter to his breast; and the boy stood
there waiting, striving