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forty miles from the town of Commercial。 So she used the country
school as a step toward her ultimate goal； though she hated the country
and dreaded her apprenticeship。
〃I'll get a beau；〃 she said； 〃who'll take me driving and around。 And
Saturdays and Sundays I can come to town。〃
The first time Ben Westerveld saw her she was coming down the road
toward him in her tight…fitting black alpaca dress。 The sunset was behind
her。 Her hair was very golden。 In a day of tiny waists hers could have
been spanned by Ben Westerveld's two hands。 He discovered that later。
Just now he thought he had never seen anything so fairylike and dainty；
though he did not put it that way。 Ben was not glib of thought or speech。
He knew at once this was the new schoolteacher。 He had heard of her
coming； though at the time the conversation had interested him not at all。
Bella knew who he was； too。 She had learned the name and history of
every eligible young man in the district two days after her arrival。 That
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was due partly to her own bold curiosity and partly to the fact that she was
boarding with the Widow Becker； the most notorious gossip in the county。
In Bella's mental list of the neighborhood swains Ben Westerveld already
occupied a position at the top of the column。
He felt his face redden as they approached each other。 To hide his
embarrassment he swung his little hickory switch gaily and called to his
dog Dunder； who was nosing about by the roadside。 Dunder bounded
forward； spied the newcomer； and leaped toward her playfully and with
natural canine curiosity。
Bella screamed。 She screamed and ran to Ben and clung to him；
clasping her hands about his arm。 Ben lifted the hickory switch in his
free hand and struck Dunder a sharp cut with it。 It was the first time in
his life that he had done such a thing。 If he had had a sane moment from
that time until the day he married Bella Huckins； he never would have
forgotten the dumb hurt in Dunder's stricken eyes and shrinking； quivering
body。
Bella screamed again； still clinging to him。 Ben was saying： 〃He
won't hurt you。 He won't hurt you；〃 meanwhile patting her shoulder
reassuringly。 He looked down at her pale face。 She was so slight； so
childlike； so apparently different from the sturdy country girls。 From
well； from the girls he knew。 Her helplessness； her utter femininity；
appealed to all that was masculine in him。 Bella； the experienced；
clinging to him； felt herself swept from head to foot by a queer electric
tingling that was very pleasant but that still had in it something of the
sensation of a wholesale bumping of one's crazy bone。 If she had been
anything but a stupid little flirt； she would have realized that here was a
specimen of the virile male with which she could not trifle。 She glanced
up at him now； smiling faintly。 〃My； I was scared！〃 She stepped away
from him a littlevery little。
〃Aw； he wouldn't hurt a flea。〃
But Bella looked over her shoulder fearfully to where Dunder stood by
the roadside； regarding Ben with a look of uncertainty。 He still thought
that perhaps this was a new game。 Not a game that he cared for； but still
one to be played if his master fancied it。 Ben stooped； picked up a stone；
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and threw it at Dunder； striking him in the flank。
〃Go on home！〃 he commanded sternly。 〃Go home！〃 He started
toward the dog with a well…feigned gesture of menace。 Dunder； with a
low howl； put his tail between his legs and loped off home； a disillusioned
dog。
Bella stood looking up at Ben。 Ben looked down at her。 〃You're the
new teacher； ain't you？〃
〃Yes。 I guess you must think I'm a fool； going on like a baby about
that dog。〃
〃Most girls would be scared of him if they didn't know he wouldn't
hurt nobody。 He's pretty big。〃
He paused a moment； awkwardly。 〃My name's Ben Westerveld。〃
〃Pleased to meet you；〃 said Bella。 〃Which way was you going？
There's a dog down at Tietjens' that's enough to scare anybody。 He looks
like a pony； he's so big。〃
〃I forgot something at the school this afternoon； and I was walking
over to get it。〃 Which was a lie。 〃I hope it won't get dark before I get
there。 You were going the other way； weren't you？〃
〃Oh； I wasn't going no place in particular。 I'll be pleased to keep you
company down to the school and back。〃 He was surprised at his own
sudden masterfulness。
They set off together； chatting as freely as if they had known one
another for years。 Ben had been on his way to the Byers farm； as usual。
The Byers farm and Emma Byers passed out of his mind as completely as
if they had been whisked away on a magic rug。
Bella Huckins had never meant to marry him。 She hated farm life。
She was contemptuous of farmer folk。 She loathed cooking and
drudgery。 The Huckinses lived above the saloon in Commercial and Mrs。
Huckins was always boiling ham and tongue and cooking pigs' feet and
shredding cabbage for slaw； all these edibles being destined for the free…
lunch counter downstairs。 Bella had early made up her mind that there
should be no boiling and stewing and frying in her life。 Whenever she
could find an excuse she loitered about the saloon。 There she found life
and talk and color。 Old Red Front Huckins used to chase her away； but
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she always turned up again； somehow； with a dish for the lunch counter or
with an armful of clean towels。
Ben Westerveld never said clearly to himself； 〃I want to marry Bella。〃
He never dared meet the thought。 He intended honestly to marry Emma
Byers。 But t