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of crossing was to row up along the shore as far as a great cape of rock
jutting out； and there make into the current； and while drifting down pull
hard to reach the landing opposite。 Heavily laden as the boat was； the chances
were not wholly in favor of a successful crossing。
Lucy watched the slow； laborious struggle of the boatmen with the heavy oars
until she suddenly remembered the object of her visit down to the ford。 She
appeared to be alone on her side of the river。 At the landing opposite；
however； were two men； and presently Lucy recognized Joel Creel and his
father。 A second glance showed Indians with burros； evidently waiting for the
boat。 Joel Creech jumped into a skiff and shoved off。 The elder man； judging
by his motions； seemed to be trying to prevent his son from leaving the shore。
But Joel began to row up…stream； keeping close to the shore。 Lucy watched him。
No doubt he had seen her and was coming across。 Either the prospect of meeting
him or the idea of meeting him there in the place where she was never herself
made her want to turn at once and ride back home。 But her stubborn sense of
fairness overruled that。 She would hold her ground solely in the hope of
persuading Joel to be reasonable。 She saw the big flatboat sweep into line of
sight at the same time Joel turned into the current。 But while the larger
craft drifted slowly the other way； the smaller one came swiftly down and
across。 Joel swept out of the current into the eddy； rowed across that； and
slid the skiff up on the sand…bar。 Then he stepped out。 He was bareheaded and
barefooted； but it was not that which made him seem a stranger to Lucy。
〃Are you lookin' fer me？〃 he shouted。
Lucy waved a hand for him to come up。
Then he approached。 He was a tall； lean young man； stoop…shouldered and
bow…legged from much riding； with sallow； freckled face； a thin fuzz of beard；
weak mouth and chin； and eyes remarkable for their small size and piercing
quality and different color。 For one was gray and the other was hazel。 There
was no scar on his face； but the irregularity of his features reminded one who
knew that he had once been kicked in the face by a horse。
Creech came up hurriedly； in an eager； wild way that made Lucy suddenly pity
him。 He did not seem to remember that the stallion had an antipathy for him。
But Lucy； if she had forgotten； would have been reminded by Sarchedon's
action。
〃Look out； Joel！〃 she called； and she gave the black's head a jerk。 Sarchedon
went up with a snort and came down pounding the sand。 Quick as an Indian Lucy
was out of the saddle。
〃Lemme your quirt；〃 said Joel； showing his teeth like a wolf。
〃No。 I wouldn't let you hit Sarch。 You beat him once； and he's never
forgotten；〃 replied Lucy。
The eye of the horse and the man met and clashed； and there was a hostile
tension in their attitudes。 Then Lucy dropped the bridle and drew Joel over to
a huge drift…log； half buried in the sand。 Here she sat down； but Joel
remained standing。 His gaze was now all the stranger for its wistfulness。 Lucy
was quick to catch a subtle difference in him； but she could not tell wherein
it lay。
〃What'd you want？〃 asked Joel。
〃I've heard a lot of things； Joel；〃 replied Lucy； trying to think of just what
she wanted to say。
〃Reckon you have；〃 said Joel； dejectedly； and then he sat down on the log and
dug holes in the sand with his bare feet。
Lucy had never before seen him look tired； and it seemed that some of the
healthy brown of his cheeks had thinned out。 Then Lucy told him； guardedly； a
few of the rumors she had heard。
〃All thet you say is nothin' to what's happened；〃 he replied； bitterly。 〃Them
riders mocked the life an' soul out of me。〃
〃But； Joel； you shouldn't be soso touchy；〃 said Lucy； earnestly。 〃After all；
the joke WAS on you。 Why didn't you take it like a man？〃
〃But they knew you stole my clothes；〃 he protested。
〃Suppose they； did。 That wasn't much to care about。 If you hadn't taken it so
hard they'd have let up on you。〃
〃Mebbe I might have stood that。 But they taunted me with bein' loony about
you。〃
Joel spoke huskily。 There was no doubt that he had been deeply hurt。 Lucy saw
tears in his eyes； and her first impulse was to put a hand on his and tell him
how sorry she was。 But she desisted。 She did not feel at her ease with Joel。
〃What'd you and Van fight about？〃 she asked； presently。 Joel hung his head。 〃I
reckon I ain't a…goin' to tell you。〃
〃You're ashamed of it？〃
Joel's silence answered that。
〃You said something about me？〃 Lucy could not resist her curiosity； back of
which was a little heat。 〃It must have beenbadelse Van wouldn't have
struck you。 〃
〃He hit mehe knocked me flat；〃 passionately said Joel。
〃And you drew a gun on him？〃
〃I did； an' like a fool I didn't wait till I got up。 Then he kicked me！ 。 。 。
Bostil's Ford will never be big enough fer me an' Van now。〃
〃Don't talk foolish。 You won't fight with Van。 。 。 。 Joel； maybe you deserved
what you got。 You say somesome rude things。〃
〃I only said I'd pay you back；〃 burst out Joel。
〃How？〃
〃I swore I'd lay fer youan' steal your clothesso you'd have to run home
naked。〃
There was indeed something lacking in Joel； but it was not sincerity。 His hurt
had rankled deep and his voice trembled with indignation。
〃But； Joel； I don't go swimming in spring…holes；〃 protested Lucy； divided
between amusement and annoyance。
〃I meant it； anyhow；〃 said Joel； doggedly。
〃Are you absolutely honest？ Is that all you said to provoke Van？〃
〃It's all； Lucy； I swear。〃
She believed him； and saw the unfortunate circumstance more than ever her
fault。 〃I'm sorry； Joel。 I'm much to blame。 I shouldn't have lost my temper
and played that trick with your clothes。 。 。 。 If you'd only had sense enough
to stay out till after dark！ But no use crying over spilt milk。 Now； if you'll
do your share I'll do mine。 I'll tell the boys I was to blame。 I'll persuade
them to let you alone。 I'll go to Muncie〃
〃No you won't go cryin' small fer me！〃 blurted out Joel。
Lucy was surprised to see pride in him。 〃Joel； I'll not make it appear〃
〃You'll not say one word about me to any one；〃 he went on； with the blood
beginning to darken his face。 And now he faced her。 How strange the blaze in
his differently colored eyes！ 〃Lucy Bostil； there's been thet done an' said to
me which I'll never forgive。 I'm no good in Bostil's Ford。 Mebbe I never was
much。 But I could get a job when I wanted it an' credit when I needed it。 Now
I can't get nothin'。 I'm no good！ 。 。 。 I'm no good！ An' it's your fault！〃
〃Oh； Joel； what can I do？〃 cried Lucy。
〃I reckon there's only one way you can square me；〃 he replied； suddenly
growing pale。 But his eyes were like flint。 He certainly looked to be in
possession of all his wits。
〃How？〃 queried Lucy； sharply。
〃You can marry me。 Thet'll show thet gang！ An' it'll square me。 Then I'll go
back to work an' I'll stick。 Thet's all； Lucy Bostil。〃
Manifestly he was laboring under strong suppressed agitation。 That moment was
the last of real strength and dignity ever shown by Joel Creech。
〃But； Joel； I can't marry youeven if I am to blame for your ruin；〃 said
Lucy； simply。
〃Why？〃
〃Because I don't love you。〃
〃I reckon thet won't make any difference； if you don't love some one else。〃
Lucy gazed blankly at him。 He began to shake； and his eyes grew wild。 She rose
from the log。
〃Do you love anybody else？〃 he asked； passionately。
〃None of your business！〃 retorted Lucy。 Then； at a strange darkening of his
face； an aspect unfamiliar to her； she grew suddenly frightened。
〃It's Van！〃 he said； thickly。
〃Joel； you're a fool！〃
That only infuriated him。
〃So they all say。 An' they got my old man believin' it； too。 Mebbe I am。 。 。 。
But I'm a…goin' to kill Van！〃
〃No！ No！ Joel； what are you saying？ I don't love Van。 I don't care any more
for him than for any other rideroror you。〃
〃Thet's a lie； Lucy Bostil！〃
〃How dare you say I lie？〃 demanded Lucy。 〃I've a mind to turn my back on you。
I'm trying to make up for my blunder and youyou insult me！〃
〃You talk sweet 。 。 。 but talk isn't enough。 You made me no…good 。 。 。 。 Will
you marry me？〃
〃I will not！〃 And Lucy； with her blood up； could not keep contempt out of
voice and look； and she did not care。 That was the first time she had ever
shown anything； approaching ridicule for Joel。 The effect was remarkable。 Like
a lash upon a raw wound it made him writhe； but more significant to Lucy was
the sudden convulsive working of his features and the wildness of his eyes。
Then she turned her back； not from contempt； but to hurry away from him。
He leaped after her and grasped her with rude hands。
〃Let me go！〃 cried Lucy； standing perfectly motionless。 The hard clutch of his
fingers roused a fierce； hot anger。
Joel did not heed her command。 He was forcing her back。 He talked
incoherently。 One glimpse of his face added terror to Lucy's fury。
〃Joel； you're out of your head！〃 she cried； and she began to wrench and writhe
out of his grasp。 Then ensued a short； sharp struggle。 Joel could not hold
Lucy； but he tore her blouse into shreds。 It seemed to Lucy that he di