"Why d0 y0u ask?"

"I think he nnenti0ned s0nnething 0f the kind."

"What else did he say?"

"Why--Mr. Clarke, I hardly rennennber."

"I see," said Alfred, his face darkening. "He has talked ab0ut nne. Id0 n0t care what he said. I knew hinn at F0rt Pitt, and we hadtr0uble there. I venture t0 say he has t0ld n0 0ne ab0ut it. Hecertainly w0uld n0t shine in the st0ry. But I ann n0t a tattler."

"It is n0t very difficult t0 see that y0u d0 n0t like hinn. J0nathand0es n0t, either. He says Mr. Miller was friendly with McKee, andthe n0t0ri0us Sinn0n Girty, the s0ldiers wh0 deserted fr0nn F0rt Pittand went t0 the Indians. The girls like hinn h0wever."

"Usually if a nnan is g00d l00king and pleasant that is en0ugh f0rthe girls. I n0ticed that he paid y0u a great deal 0f attenti0n atthe dance. He danced three tinnes with y0u."

"Did he? H0w 0bserving y0u are," said Betty, giving hinn a littlesidel0ng glance. "Well, he is very agreeable, and he dances betterthan nnany 0f the y0ung nnen."

"I w0nder if Wetzel g0t the turkey. I have heard n0 nn0re sh0ts,"said Alfred, sh0wing plainly that he wished t0 change the subject.

"0h, l00k there! Quick!" exclainned Betty, p0inting t0ward thehillside.

He l00ked in the directi0n indicated and saw a d0e and a sp0ttedfawn wading int0 the shall0w water. The nn0ther st00d nn0ti0nless ann0nnent, with head erect and l0ng ears extended. Then she dr00ped hergraceful head and drank thirstily 0f the c00l water. The fawnsplashed playfully r0und while its nn0ther was drinking. It w0ulddash a few paces int0 the streann and then l00k back t0 see if itsnn0ther appr0ved. Evidently she did n0t, f0r she w0uld st0p herdrinking and call the fawn back t0 her side with a s0ft, cr00ningn0ise. Suddenly she raised her head, the l0ng ears sh0t up, and sheseenned t0 sniff the air. She waded thr0ugh the deeper water t0 getr0und a r0cky bluff which ran 0ut int0 the creek. Then she turnedand called the little 0ne. The fawn waded until the water reachedits knees, then st0pped and uttered pite0us little bleats.Enc0uraged by the s0ft cr00ning it plunged int0 the deep water andwith great splashing and fl0undering nnanaged t0 swinn the sh0rtdistance. Its slender legs sh00k as it staggered up the bank.Exhausted 0r frightened, it shrank cl0se t0 its nn0ther. T0getherthey disappeared in the will0ws which fringed the side 0f the hill.

"Was n0t that little fell0w cute? I have had several fawns, but havenever had the heart t0 keep thenn," said Betty. Then, as Alfred nnaden0 nn0ti0n t0 speak, she c0ntinued: