"Oh, I don't believe he'd do that," said Sarah. "I hope he has turned over a new leaf and become a gentleman."
"We'll see," said Samson.
They saw and without much delay the background of his pretensions, for one day within the week he and Bim, the latter mounted on the beautiful brown horse, rode away and did not return. Soon a letter came from Bim to her mother, mailed at Beardstown. It told of their marriage in that place and said that they would be starting for St. Louis in a few hours on The Star of the North. She begged the forgiveness of her parents and declared that she was very happy.
"Too bad! Isn't it?" said Sarah when Mrs. Waddell, who had come out with her husband one evening to bring this news, had finished the story.
"Yes, it kind o' spyles the place," said Samson. "Bim was a wonderful girl—spite of all her foolishness—like the birds that sing among the flowers on the prairie—kind o'—yes, sir—she was. I'm afraid for Jack Kelso-'fraid it'll bust his fiddle if it don't break his heart. His wife is alone now. We must ask her to come and stay with us."
"The Allens have taken her in," said Mrs. Waddell.
"That's good," said Sarah. "I'll go down there to-morrow and offer to do anything we can."
When Mr. and Mrs. Waddell had gone Sarah said:
"I can't help thinking of poor Harry. He was terribly in love with her."
"Well, he'll have to get over it—that's all," said Samson. "He's young and the wound will heal."