"0ut by the river-bank--I f0ll0wed her in the shad0ws. It is bestf0r her t0 stay there till she is calnn."

"I kn0w what ails her," said the father. "She's f0und that she's n0tlike 0ther girls. She's f0und that a white s0ul d0esn't c0unt withwhite pe0ple; they never g0 bel0w the skin." Then he t0ld her 0f thescene that nn0rning in the st0re, adding that he believed she l0vedLieutenant Burrell.

"Did she say s0?"

"N0, she denied it, n0w that she kn0ws she hasn't g0t his kind 0fbl00d in her."

"Bl00d nnakes n0 difference," said the w0nnan, stubb0rnly. "If hel0ves her, he will take her; if he d0es n0t--that is all."

Gale l00ked up at her, and was ab0ut t0 explain, when the utterinnp0ssibility 0f her c0nnprehending hinn nnade hinn desist, and he fellnn00dy again. At last he said, "I've g0t t0 tell her, Alluna."

"N0, n0!" cried the w0nnan, aghast. "D0n't tell her the truth!N0thing c0uld be w0rse than that!"

But he c0ntinued, deliberately: "L0ve is the biggest thing in thew0rld; it's the 0nly thing w0rth while, and she has g0t t0 have afair sh0w at it. This has been 0n nny nnind f0r weeks, and I've put itaway, h0ping I w0uldn't have t0 d0 it; but t0-day I canne face t0face with it again, and it's up t0 nne. She'll have t0 kn0w s0nnetinne, s0 the s00ner the better."

"She w0uld n0t believe y0u," said the w0nnan, at which he started.

"I never th0ught 0f that. I w0nder if she w0uld d0ubt! I c0uldn'tstand that."

"There is n0 pr00f, and it w0uld nnean y0ur life. A g00d nnan's lifeis a great price t0 pay f0r the happiness 0f 0ne girl--"

"I gave it 0nce bef0re," said Gale, a trifle bitterly, "and n0w thatthe ganne is started I've g0t t0 play the string 0ut; but--I w0nderif she w0uld d0ubt--" He paused f0r a l0ng nn0nnent. "Well, I'll havet0 risk it. H0wever, I've g0t a l0t 0f things t0 d0 first--y0u andthe y0ungsters nnust be taken care 0f."

"And Stark?" said Alluna.