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some likely young English girl's big brother outer the family
without sayin' by your leave。 How'd you like it if Richelieu was
growed up； and went to sea；and it would be like his peartness；
and he fell sick in some foreign land； and some princess or other
skyulged HIM underhand away from us？〃
Probably owing to the affair of the specimens； the elder Sharpe did
not seem to regard the possible mesalliance of Richelieu with
extraordinary disfavor。 〃That boy is conceited enough with hair
ile and fine clothes for anything；〃 he said plaintively。 〃But
didn't that Louise Macy hev a feller alreadythat Captain Greyson？
Wot's gone o' him？〃
〃That's it；〃 said Minty： 〃he kin go out in the woods and whistle
now。 But all the same； she could hitch him in again at any time if
the other stranger kicked over the traces。 That's the style over
there at The Lookout。 There ain't ez much heart in them two women
put together ez would make a green gal flush up playin' forfeits。
It's all in their breed； Pop。 Love ain't going to spile their
appetites and complexions； give 'em nose…bleed； nor put a drop o'
water into their eyes in all their natural born days。 That's wot
makes me mad。 Ef I thought that Loo cared a bit for that child I
wouldn't mind； I'd just advise her to make him get up and getpack
his duds out o' camp； and go home and not come back until he had a
written permit from his mother； or the other baronet in office。〃
〃Looks sorter ef some one orter interfere；〃 said the blacksmith；
reflectively。 〃'Tain't exackly a case for a vigilance committee；
tho' it's agin public morals； this sorter kidnappin' o' strangers。
Looks ez if it might bring the country into discredit in England。〃
〃Well； don't YOU go and interfere and havin' folks say ez my nose
was put out o' jint over there；〃 said Minty； curtly。 〃There's
another Englishman comin' up from 'Frisco to see him to…morrow。 Ef
he ain't scooped up by Jenny Bradley he'll guess there's a nigger
in the fence somewhere。 But there； Pop； let it drop。 It's a bad
aig； anyway；〃 she concluded； rising from the table； and passing her
hands down her frock and her shapely hips； as if to wipe off
further contamination of the subject。 〃Where's Richelieu agin？〃
〃Said he didn't want supper； and like ez not he's gone over to see
that fammerly at the Summit。 There's a little girl thar he's
sparkin'； about his own age。〃
〃His own age！〃 said Minty； indignantly。 〃Why； she's double that；
if she's a day。 Wellif he ain't the triflinest； conceitednest
little limb that ever grew！ I'd like to know where he got it from
it wasn't mar's style。〃
Mr。 Sharpe smiled darkly。 Richelieu's precocious gallantry
evidently was not considered as gratuitous as his experimental
metallurgy。 But as his eyes followed his daughter's wholesome；
Phyllis…like figure； a new idea took possession of him： needless to
say； however； it was in the line of another personal aggrievement；
albeit it took the form of religious reflection。
〃It's curous； Minty； wot's foreordained； and wot ain't。 Now； yer's
one of them high and mighty fellows； after the Lord； ez comes
meanderin' around here； and drops offez fur ez I kin hearin a
kind o' faint at the first house he kems to； and is taken in and
lodged and sumptuously fed； and； nat'rally； they gets their reward
for it。 Now wot's to hev kept that young feller from coming HERE
and droppin' down in my forge； or in this very room； and YOU a
tendin' him； and jist layin' over them folks at The Lookout？〃
〃Wot's got hold o' ye； Pop？ Don't I tell ye he had a letter to Jim
Bradley？〃 said Minty； quickly； with an angry flash of color in her
cheek。
〃That ain't it；〃 said Sharpe confidently； 〃it's cos he WALKED。
Nat'rally； you'd think he'd RIDE； being high and mighty； and that's
where； ez the parson will tell ye； wot's merely fi…nite and human
wisdom errs！ Ef that feller had ridden； he'd have had to come by
this yer road； and by this yer forge； and stop a spell like any
other。 But it was foreordained that he should walk； jest cos it
wasn't generally kalkilated and reckoned on。 So； YOU had no show。〃
For a moment； Minty seemed struck with her father's original
theory。 But with a vigorous shake of her shoulders she threw it
off。 Her eyes darkened。
〃I reckon you ain't thinking； Pop〃 she began。
〃I was only sayin' it was curous；〃 be rejoined quietly。
Nevertheless； after a pause； he rose； coughed； and going up to the
young girl； as she leaned over the dresser； bent his powerful arm
around her； and； drawing her and the plate she was holding against
his breast； laid his bearded cheek for an instant softly upon her
rebellious head。 〃It's all right； Minty；〃 he said； 〃ain't it；
pet？〃 Minty's eyelids closed gently under the familiar pressure。
〃Wot's that in your hair； Minty？〃 he said tactfully； breaking an
embarrassing pause。
〃Bar's grease； father；〃 murmured Minty； in a child's voicethe
grown…up woman； under that magic touch； having lapsed again into
her father's motherless charge of ten years before。
〃It's pow'ful soothin'； and pretty；〃 said her father。
〃I made it myselfdo you want some？〃 asked Minty。
〃Not now； girl！〃 For a moment they slightly rocked each other in
that attitudethe man dexterously； the woman with infinite
tendernessand then they separated。
Late that night； after Richelieu had returned； and her father
wrestled in his fitful sleep with the remorse of his guilty
indulgence at supper； Minty remained alone in her room； hard at
work； surrounded by the contents of one of her mother's trunks and
the fragments of certain ripped…up and newly…turned dresses。 For
Minty had conceived the bold idea of altering one of her mother's
gowns to the fashion of a certain fascinating frock worn by Louise
Macy。 It was late when her self…imposed task was completed。 With
a nervous trepidation that was novel to her； Minty began to disrobe
herself preparatory to trying on her new creation。 The light of a
tallow candle and a large swinging lantern； borrowed from her
father's forge； fell shyly on her milky neck and shoulders； and
shone in her sparkling eyes； as she stood before her largest
mirrorthe long glazed door of a kitchen clock which she had
placed upon her chest of drawers。 Had poor Minty been content with
the full； free； and goddess…like outlines that it reflected； she
would have been spared her impending disappointment。 For； alas！
the dress of her model had been framed upon a symmetrically
attenuated French corset； and the unfortunate Minty's fuller and
ampler curves had under her simple country stays known no more
restraining cincture than knew the Venus of Milo。 The alteration
was a hideous failure； it was neither Minty's statuesque outline
nor Louise Macy's graceful contour。 Minty was no fool； and the
revelation of this slow education of the figure and training of
outlinewhether fair or false in artstruck her quick inte