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But his evil humor did not appear to weigh with any shadow of trouble on Joe, who ate what was set before him like a hungry horse and looked around for more. Ollie's interest in Joe was acutely sharpened by the incident of rising. There must be something uncommon, indeed, in a lad of Joe's years, she thought, to enable him to meet and pass off such a serious thing in that untroubled way.
Will you talk to Aunt Ollie? Will you let me show you, and explain, and prove to you?" "I won't be a party to anything that would even remotely threaten to lose Aunt Ollie's money for her," she said. "She's got nobody on earth but me. It's all mine in the end. Why not let me have this wonderful chance with it? Kate, will you?" he begged. "I'll think about it," she conceded.
He was there in his master's place; he must watch and guard the honor of his house. Joe could not set out on that little trip without a good deal of moral cudgeling when it came to the point, although he threw down his scythe with a muttered curse on his lips for the man who was playing such an underhanded game. It was on Ollie's account he hesitated.
"I am," said Reggie Mann, "quite beside myself to meet this Lucy Dupree." "Who told you about her?" asked Allan Montague. "Ollie's been telling everybody about her," said Reggie. "It sounds really wonderful. But I fear he must have exaggerated." "People seem to develop a tendency to exaggeration," said Montague, "when they talk about Lucy." "I am in quite a state about her," said Reggie.
She wanted to get her bag, and to say good-by to Ollie's mamma. The two children were talking so busily as they went along that they did not notice a horse and wagon standing at the gate of Mr. Rogers's house, until they were close upon it. "Why, Ollie!" exclaimed Lucy; "there is our horse; papa must have come for me. I wonder if we have kept him waiting!"
How different this passion from that which Ollie's uncovered bosom had stirred; how he burned with shame at the memory of that day! Up and down he strode the morning through, his long, thin legs now spare in his boot-tops, his wide, bony shoulders sharp through his coat.
"My hands were as empty as they are this minute," said Joe, but not without a little color in his cheeks when he remembered how hot and small Ollie's hand had felt within his own. "When did you first see this?" asked the coroner, holding up the sack with the burst corner which had lain on Isom's breast.
"I heard you was the can'idate." Joe got up from the table and moved his chair away with his foot. As he was thus occupied he saw Ollie's shadow on the wall repeat a gesture of caution which she made to Morgan, a lifting of the hand, a shaking of the head. Even the shadow betrayed the intimate understanding between them. Joe went over and stood in the door.
He need not have revealed the complete story of his trespass upon the honor of Isom Chase, thought Joe; he could have saved Ollie's name before the neighbors; and yet relieved Joe of all suspicion. Now that Isom was dead, he could have married her. But Morgan had not come. He was a coward as well as a rascal. It was more than likely that, in fear of being found out, he had fled away.
"It might go off, you know," said the young fellow quietly, as he tossed the gun on the ground at Ollie's feet. With a mad roar, Gibbs recovered himself and rushed at his antagonist. It was a terrific struggle; not the skillful sparring of trained fighters, but the rough and tumble battling of primitive giants.
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