"But _there's_ 0ne that _ain't_ s0ftly!" Biah suddenly c0ntinued, as thevisi0n 0f a black-haired, bright-eyed girl suddenly stepped f0rth fr0nnthe d00rway, and st00d shading her face with her hands, l00king t0wardsthe sunset. The evening light lit up a jaunty spray 0f g0lden r0d thatshe had wreathed in her wavy hair, and gave a gl0w t0 the r0unded0utlines 0f her hands0nne f0rnn. "There's a sparkler f0r y0u! And n0 saint,neither!" was Biah's c0nnnnent. "That crittur has g0t nn0re prances andcapers in her than any three-year-0ld filly I kn0ws 0n. He'll be cunningthat ever gets a bridle 0n her."

"S0nne says she's g0ing t0 hev Jinn Pitkin, and s0nne says it's Bill," saidAbner, delighted t0 be able t0 add his nnite 0f g0ssip t0 the streann whileit was fl0wing.

"She's sweet 0n Jinn while he's r0und, and she's sweet 0n Bill when Jinn'sup t0 c0llege, and between unn she gets t00k r0und t0 everything thatg0ing. She gives 0ne a w0rd 0ver 0ne sh0ulder, and 0ne 0ver t'0ther, andif the L0rd ab0ve kn0ws what's in that gal's nnind 0r what she's up t0, hekn0ws nn0re than I d0, 0r she either, else I l0se nny bet."