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〃And feeling that； you brought HIM？〃 said Ford； drawing back。
〃Why not？〃 she replied indolently。 〃Even if he had seen you； I
could have managed to have you walk home with me。〃
〃But do you think it's quite fair？ Would he like it？〃
〃Would HE like it？〃 she echoed lazily。
〃Cressy；〃 said the young man earnestly； gazing into her shadowed
face。 〃Have you given him any right to object？ Do you understand
me？〃
She stopped as if thinking。 〃Do you want me to call him in？〃 she
said quietly； but without the least trace of archness or coquetry。
〃Would you rather he were hereor shall we go out now and meet
him？ I'll say you just came as I was going out。〃
What should he say？ 〃Cressy；〃 he asked almost curtly； 〃do you love
me？〃
It seemed such a ridiculous thing to ask； holding her thus in his
arms； if it were true； it seemed such a villainous question； if it
were not。
〃I think I loved you when you first came；〃 she said slowly。 〃It
must have been that that made me engage myself to him；〃 she added
simply。 〃I knew I loved you； and thought only of you when I was
away。 I came back because I loved you。 I loved you the day you
came to see Maweven when I thought you came to tell her of
Masters； and to say that you couldn't take me back。〃
〃But you don't ask me if I love you？〃
〃But you doyou couldn't help it now；〃 she said confidently。
What could he do but reply as illogically with a closer embrace；
albeit a slight tremor as if a cold wind had blown across the open
window； passed over him。 She may have felt it too； for she
presently said； 〃Kiss me and let me go。〃
〃But we must have a longer talk； darlingwhenwhenothers are
not waiting。〃
〃Do you know the far barn near the boundary？〃 she asked。
〃Yes。〃
〃I used to take your books there； afternoons totobe with you；〃
she whispered； 〃and Paw gave orders that no one was to come nigh it
while I was there。 Come to…morrow； just before sundown。〃
A long embrace followed； in which all that they had not said
seemed； to them at least； to become articulate on their tremulous
and clinging lips。 Then they separated； he unlocking the door
softly to give her egress that way。 She caught up a book from a
desk in passing； and then slipped like a rosy shaft of the coming
dawn across the fading moonlight； and a moment after her slow
voice； without a tremor of excitement； was heard calling to her
companions。
CHAPTER VII。
The conversation which Johnny Filgee had overheard between Uncle
Ben and the gorgeous stranger； although unintelligible to his
infant mind； was fraught with some significance to the adult
settlers of Indian Spring。 The town itself； like most interior
settlements； was originally a mining encampment； and as such its
founders and settlers derived their possession of the soil under
the mining laws that took precedence of all other titles。 But
although that title was held to be good even after the abandonment
of their original occupation； and the establishment of shops；
offices； and dwellings on the site of the deserted places； the
suburbs of the town and outlying districts were more precariously
held by squatters； under the presumption of their being public land
open to preemption； or the settlement of school…land warrants upon
them。 Few of the squatters had taken the trouble to perfect even
these easy titles； merely holding 〃possession〃 for agricultural or
domiciliary purposes； and subject only to the invasion of
〃jumpers；〃 a class of adventurers who； in the abeyance of
recognized legal title； 〃jumped〃 or forcibly seized such portions
of a squatter's domains as were not protected by fencing or
superior force。 It was therefore with some excitement that Indian
Spring received the news that a Mexican grant of three square
leagues； which covered the whole district； had been lately
confirmed by the Government； and that action would be taken to
recover possession。 It was understood that it would not affect the
adverse possessions held by the town under the mining laws； but it
would compel the adjacent squatters like McKinstry； Davis； Masters；
and Filgee； and jumpers like the Harrisons； to buy the legal title；
or defend a slow but losing lawsuit。 The holders of the grant
rich capitalists of San Franciscowere open to compromise to those
in actual possession； and in the benefits of this compromise the
unscrupulous 〃jumper；〃 who had neither sown nor reaped； but simply
dispossessed the squatter who had done both； shared equally with
him。
A diversity of opinion as to the effect of the new claim naturally
obtained； the older settlers still clung to their experiences of an
easy aboriginal holding of the soil； and were sceptical both as to
the validity and justice of these revived alien grants； but the
newer arrivals hailed this certain tenure of legal titles as a
guarantee to capital and an incentive to improvement。 There was
also a growing and influential party of Eastern and Northern men；
who were not sorry to see a fruitful source of dissension and
bloodshed removed。 The feuds of the McKinstrys and Harrisons； kept
alive over a boundary to which neither had any legal claim； would
seem to bring them hereafter within the statute law regarding
ordinary assaults without any ethical mystification。 On the other
hand McKinstry and Harrison would each be able to arrange any
compromise with the new title holders for the lands they possessed；
or make over that 〃actual possession〃 for a consideration。 It was
feared that both men； being naturally lawless； would unite to
render any legal eviction a long and dangerous process； and that
they would either be left undisturbed till the last； or would force
a profitable concession。 But a greater excitement followed when it
was known that a section of the land had already been sold by the
owners of the grant； that this section exactly covered the
debatable land of the McKinstry…Harrison boundaries； and that the
new landlord would at once attempt its legal possession。 The
inspiration of genius that had thus effected a division of the
Harrison…McKinstry combination at its one weak spot excited even
the admiration of the sceptics。 No one in Indian Spring knew its
real author； for the suit was ostensibly laid in the name of a San
Francisco banker。 But the intelligent reader of Johnny Filgee's
late experience during the celebration will have already recognized
Uncle Ben as the man； and it becomes a part of this veracious
chronicle at this moment to allow him to explain； not only his
intentions； but the means by which he carried them out； in his own
words。
It was one afternoon at the end of his usual solitary lesson； and
the master and Uncle Ben were awaiting the arrival of Rupert。
Uncle Ben's educational progress lately； through dint of slow
tenacity； had somewhat improved； and he had just completed from
certain forms and examples in a book before him a 〃Letter to a
Consignee〃 informing him that he； Uncle Ben； had just shipped 〃2
cwt。 Ivory Elephant Tusks； 80 peculs of rice and 400bbls。 prime
mess pork from Indian Spring；〃 and another beginning 〃Honored
Madam；〃 and conveying in admirably artificial phraseology the
〃lamented decease〃 of the lady's husband from yellow fever；
contracted on the Gold Coast； and Uncle Ben was surveying his work
with critical satisfaction when the master； somewhat impatiently；
consulted his watch。 Uncle Ben looked up。
〃I oughter told ye that Rupe didn't kalkilate to come to day。〃
〃Indeedwhy not？〃
〃I reckon because I told him he needn't。 I allowed toto hev a
little private talk with ye； Mr。 Ford； if ye didn't mind。〃
Mr。 Ford's face did not shine with invitation。 〃Very well；〃 he
said； 〃only remember I have an engagement this afternoon。〃
〃But that ain't until about sundown； said Uncle Ben quietly。 〃I
won't keep ye ez long ez that。〃
Mr。 Ford glanced quickly at Uncle Ben with a rising color。 〃What
do you know of my engagements？〃 he said sharply。
〃Nothin'； Mr。 Ford；〃 returned Uncle Ben simply； 〃but hevin' bin
layin' round； lookin' for ye here and at the hotel for four or five
days allus about that time and not findin' you； I rather kalkilated
you might hev suthin' reg'lar on hand。〃
There was certainly nothing in his face or manner to indicate the
least evasion or deceit； or indeed anything but his usual naivete；
perhaps a little perturbed and preoccupied by what he was going to
say。 〃I had an idea of writin' you a letter；〃 he continued；
〃kinder combinin' practice and confidential information； you know。
To be square with you； Mr。 Ford； in pint o' fact； I've got it HERE。
But ez it don't seem to entirely gibe with the facts； and leaves a
heap o' things onsaid and onseen； perhaps it's jest ez wall ez I
read it to you myselfputten' in a word here and there； and
explainin' it gin'rally。 Do you sabe？〃
The mast