"She wouldn't marry him a minute sooner because he went to Congress," said

Minnie thoughtfully.

"You're giving up," he exclaimed. "You know I'm right."

"Wait and see. It might--No, you're wrong as wrong can be! I wish you

weren't. Don't you see? You're blind. She couldn't do all these things

for him if she loved him. That's the very proof itself. I suppose you--

well, you can't understand."

"I'll tell you one thing," he returned. "If she doesn't, the rest of it

won't amount to a rip with John Harkless."

"Yes, it will. Nobody could help liking to find himself as big a man as

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he'll be when he comes back here. Besides, don't you see, it's her way of

making it up to him for not liking him as much as he wants. You give up,

don't you?"

"No," he cried, with feeble violence, "I don't. She'll find out some

things about herself when she sees him again."

Minnie shook her head.

There was a sound of wheels; the buckboard drew up at the gate, and Helen,

returning from her evening's labor, jumped out lightly, and ran around to

pat the horses' heads. "Thank you so much, Mr. Willetts," she said to the

driver. "I know you will handle the two delegates you are to look after as

well as you do the judge's team; and you ought to, you know, because the

delegates are men. You dears!" She stroked the sleek necks of the colts

and handed them bunches of grass.

Briscoe came out, and let the friendly animals nose his shoulder as he

looked gravely down on the piquant face beside him in the dusk. "Young

lady," he said, "go East. Wait till we get on to Washington, and sit in

the gallery, and see John Harkless rise up in his place, and hear the

Speaker say: 'The Gentleman from Indiana!' I know the chills would go up

and down my spine, and I guess you'd feel pretty well paid for your day's

work. I guess we all would."

"Aren't you tired, Helen?" asked Minnie, coming to her in the darkness and

clasping her waist.

"Tired? No; I'm happy. Did you ever see the stars so bright?"




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