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interference。 What did she imagine had transpired between Mrs。
McKinstry and himself？ Had she confidently expected her mother's
prompt acceptance of the situation and a reconciliation？ Was that
the reason why she had treated that interruption as lightly as if
she were already his recognized betrothed？ Had she even calculated
upon it？ had she？ He stopped； his cheek glowing from irritation
under the suspicion； and shame at the disloyalty of entertaining it。
Opening his desk； he began to arrange his papers mechanically； when
he discovered； with a slight feeling of annoyance； that he had
placed Cressy's bouquetnow dried and witheredin the same
pigeon…hole with the mysterious letters with which he had so often
communed in former days。 He at once separated them with a half
bitter smile； yet after a moment's hesitation； and with his old
sense of attempting to revive a forgotten association； he tried to
re…peruse them。 But they did not even restrain his straying
thoughts； nor prevent him from detecting a singular occurrence。
The nearly level sun was； after its old fashion； already hanging
the shadowed tassels of the pine boughs like a garland on the wall。
But the shadow seemed to have suddenly grown larger and more
compact； and he turned； with a quick consciousness of some
interposing figure at the pane。 Nothing however was to be seen。
Yet so impressed had he been that he walked to the door and stepped
from the porch to discover the intruder。 The clearing was
deserted； there was a slight rustling in the adjacent laurels； but
no human being was visible。 Nevertheless the old feeling of
security and isolation which had never been quite the same since
Mr。 McKinstry's confession； seemed now to have fled the sylvan
school…house altogether； and he somewhat angrily closed his desk；
locked it； and determined to go home。
His way lay through the first belt of pines towards the mining…
flat； but to…day from some vague impulse he turned and followed the
ridge。 He had not proceeded far when he perceived Rupert Filgee
lounging before him on the trail； and at a little distance further
on his brother Johnny。 At the sight of these two favorite pupils
Mr。 Ford's heart smote him with a consciousness that he had of late
neglected them； possibly because Rupert's lofty scorn of the
〃silly〃 sex was not as amusing to him as formerly； and possibly
because Johnny's curiosity had been at times obtrusive。 He however
quickened his pace and joined Rupert； laying his hand familiarly as
of old on his shoulder。 To his surprise the boy received his
advances with some constraint and awkwardness； glancing uneasily in
the direction of Johnny。 A sudden idea crossed Mr。 Ford's mind。
〃Were you looking for me at the schoolroom just now？〃
〃No； sir。〃
〃You didn't look in at the window to see if I was there？〃 continued
the master。
〃No； sir。〃
The master glanced at Rupert。 Truth…telling was a part of Rupert's
truculent temper； although； as the boy had often bitterly remarked；
it had always 〃told agin' him。〃
〃All right；〃 said the master； perfectly convinced。 〃It must have
been my fancy； but I thought somebody looked inor passed by the
window。〃
But here Johnny； who had overheard the dialogue and approached
them； suddenly threw himself upon his brother's unoffending legs
and commenced to beat and pull them about with unintelligible
protests。 Rupert； without looking down； said quietly； 〃Quit that
nowI won't； I tell ye；〃 and went through certain automatic
movements of dislodging Johnny as if he were a mere impeding puppy。
〃What's the matter； Johnny？〃 said the master； to whom these
gyrations were not unfamiliar。
Johnny only replied by a new grip of his brother's trousers。
〃Well； sir；〃 said Rupert； slightly recovering his dimples and his
readiness； 〃Johnny； yer； wants me to tell ye something。 Ef he
wasn't the most original self…cocking； God…forsaken liar in Injin
Springef he didn't lie awake in his crib mornin's to invent lies
fer the day； I wouldn't mind tellin' ye； and would hev told you
before。 However； since you ask； and since you think you saw
somebody around the school…house； Johnny yer allows that Seth Davis
is spyin' round and followin' ye wherever you go； and he dragged me
down yer to see it。 He says he saw him doggin' ye。〃
〃With a knife and pithtolth；〃 added Johnny's boundless imagination；
to the detriment of his limited facts。
Mr。 Ford looked keenly from the one to the other； but rather with a
suspicion that they were cognizant of his late fracas than belief
in the truth of Johnny's statement。
〃And what do YOU think of it； Rupert？〃 he asked carelessly。
I think； sir；〃 said Rupert； 〃that allowin'for onctthat Johnny
ain't lying； mebbee it's Cressy McKinstry that Seth's huntin'
round； and knowin' that she's always runnin' after you〃he
stopped； and reddening with a newborn sense that his fatal
truthfulness had led him into a glaring indelicacy towards the
master； hurriedly added： 〃I mean； sir； that mebbee it's Uncle Ben
he's jealous of； now that he's got rich enough for Cressy to hev
him； and knowin' he comes to school in the afternoon perhaps〃
〃'Tain't either！〃 broke in Johnny promptly。 〃Theth's over ther
beyond the thchool； and Crethy's eatin' ithecream at the bakerth
with Uncle Ben。〃
〃Well； suppose she is； Seth don't know it； silly！〃 answered Rupert；
sharply。 Then more politely to the master： 〃That's it！ Seth has
seen Uncle Ben gallivanting with Cressy and thinks he's bringing
her over yer。 Don't you see？〃
The master however did not see but one thing。 The girl who had
only two days ago carelessly left it to him to explain a compromising
situation to her motherthis girl who had precipitated him into a
frontier fight to the peril of his position and her good name； was
calmly eating ices with an available suitor without the least
concern of the past！ The connection was perhaps illogical； but it
was unpleasant。 It was the more awkward from the fact that he
fancied that not only Rupert's beautiful eyes； but even the infant
Johnny's round ones； were fixed upon him with an embarrassed
expression of hesitating and foreboding sympathy。
〃I think Johnny believes what he saysdon't you； Johnny？〃 he
smiled with an assumption of cheerful ease； 〃but I see no necessity
just yet for binding Seth Davis over to keep the peace。 Tell me
about yourself； Rupe。 I hope Uncle Ben doesn't think of changing
his young tutor with his good fortune？〃
〃No； sir；〃 returned Rupert brightening； 〃he promises to take me to
Sacramento with him as his private secretary or confidential clerk；
you know； efef〃he hesitated again with very un…Rupert…like
caution； 〃ef things go as he wants 'em。〃 He stopped awkwardly and
his brown eyes became clouded。 〃Like ez not； Mr。 Ford； he's only
foolin' meandHIMSELF。〃 The boy's eyes sought the master's
curiously。
〃I don't know about tha