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"But, mother"--Ann's eyes fell--"I promised-"

"It don't make no difference what you promised," Mrs Drake blurted out "This ain't no time for secrets under this roof I want the facts If you don't tell et your pa to whip you"

Half an hour later, as Toed across the old wheat-field back of the barn, his scythe on his shoulder, he met his wife at the outer fence of the cow-lot There she stood as still and silent as a detached post

"Whar's your bucket?" he asked, thinking she had co duties

"I'ht," she faltered Then she laid a stiff hand on her husband's sweat-daulped, "I'reatest trouble we've ever had"

"What's wrong now?" he asked, swift visions of rily she explained the situation He bore it stolidly till, in a rasping whisper, she concluded with the information forced froht at their daughter's , of Dolly's cautious exit from the house, of the tender embrace on the lawn Drake turned his tortured face away She expected a storhastly lips

"Now, Tom," she half wailed, "you must be sensible This is a faot to keep your teoin' out that way to irl is bad; you know it don't Young folks these days--"

"Don't tell me what it meant!" He bent fiercely toward her "I know I've heard a lot about that whelp's sly conduct No bigger blackguard ever laid a trap for a helpless girl Oh no, I won't do nothin' I wouldn't touch 'im When I meet 'im I'll take off my hat an' bo an' hope his lordship is well I'm just a mountain dirt-eater, I am Nobody ever heard of a Drake killin' snakes A Drake will let one coil itse'f round his baby an' not take it off We are jest scabs--we are!"

"Toht of a hair in front o' --an' I'll kill you as I would a stingin' gnat! I won't bed with no woot to stand by me I'll kill 'im if it takes twenty years I'll keep my nose to his track like a bloodhound till I look in his eye, an' then, if he had a thousand lives, I'd take every one of 'erin, an' foller 'im to hell for more"