"Well," demanded Fult, tensely, "is there anybody else you do love?"
An unexpected thought of Thomas Vance crossed Isabel's mind, only to be carelessly dismissed. "I can answer you truly, I am not in love with any man; I don't think I am the falling-in-love kind."
Fult veiled a triumphant gleam in his eyes. "Hit's all I want to know," he said. "If you don't already love nobody else, you can learn to love me."
Isabel answered sharply: "Of one thing you may be sure—I'd never let myself love a man who changes so easily as you do, and can be willing to treat a girl as you would treat Lethie."
Fult laughed, as if highly amused. "I'd never change to you," he said, with conviction; "I'd never treat you no way but right." Then, leaning toward her with pleading eyes, he said: "I hain't so hard to love, am I?"
Isabel rose. "I have told you what I shall do if you persist in this," she said.
Fult smiled. "I'd foller you down to the level land if you went," he declared. "Hit wouldn't make any difference to me where you was. I don't know but what I'd like hit better down there, without so many people around all the time."
"There would be my father and mother," said Isabel; "and I can tell you they would be very far from approving of you."
"Why?" demanded Fult, in a tone of surprise.
"Because of the wild and reckless things you have done."