As he disappeared in the mill shed, the young lady turned to her companion, “What’s the matter with you two? Have you met and quarreled since you came home?”
Fate was being very unkind to Ollie. He replied gruffly, “You’ll have to ask your friend. I told you how it would be. The greasy hobo doesn’t like to see me with you, and hasn’t manners enough even to hide his feelings. Come, let us go on.”
A look that was really worth seeing came into the girl’s fine eyes, but she only said calmly; “Matt will be back in a minute.”
“All the more reason why we should go. I should think you have had enough. I am sure I have.”
The young woman was determined now to know what lay at the bottom of all this. She said quietly, but with a great deal of decision, “You may go on home if you wish; I am going to wait here until Young Matt comes back.”
Ollie was angry now in good earnest. He had not told Sammy of the incident at the Lookout because he felt that the story would bring the backwoodsman into a light altogether too favorable. He thought to have the girl safely won before he left the hills; then it would not matter. That Young Matt would have really saved Ollie’s life at the risk of his own there was no doubt. And Stewart realized that his silence under such circumstances would look decidedly small and ungrateful to the girl. To have the story told at this critical moment was altogether worse than if he had generously told of the incident at once. He saw, too, that Sammy guessed at some thing beneath the surface, and he felt uneasy in remaining until Young Matt came back to renew the conversation. And yet he feared to leave. At this stage of his dilemma, he was relieved from his plight in a very unexpected manner.
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE CHAMPION.
A big wagon, with two men on the seat, appeared coming up the valley road. It was Wash Gibbs and a crony from the river. They had stopped at the distillery on their way, and were just enough under the influence of drink to be funny and reckless.
When they caught sight of Ollie Stewart and Miss Lane, Wash said something to his companion, at which both laughed uproariously. Upon reaching the couple, the wagon came to a stop, and after looking at Ollie for some moments, with the silent gravity of an owl, Gibbs turned to the young lady, “Howdy, honey. Where did you git that there? Did your paw give hit to you fer a doll baby?”
Young Stewart’s face grew scarlet, but he said nothing.