TrampasdepartedwithsomethingmutteredthatIdidnothear，andtheVirginianclosedintimateconversationbysaying，“You’llbelateforbreakfast。“Withthathealsotookhimselfaway。
Theladieswereinclinedtobescandalized，butnottheJudge。
Whenmywholestorywasdone，hebroughthisfistdownonthetable，andnotlightlythistime。“I’dmakehimlieutenantgeneraliftheranchofferedthatposition！“hedeclared。
MissMollyWoodsaidnothingatthetime。Butintheafternoon，byherwish，shewentfishing，withtheVirginiandeputedtoescorther。Irodewiththem，forawhile。Iwasnotgoingtocontinueathirdinthatparty；theVirginianwastoobecominglydressed，andIsawKENILWORTHpeepingoutofhispocket。Imeanttobefishingbymyselfwhenthatvolumewasreturned。
ButMissWoodtalkedwithskilfulopennessaswerode。“I’veheardallaboutyouandDr。MacBride，“shesaid。“Howcouldyoudoit，whentheJudgeplacessuchconfidenceinyou？“
Helookedpleased。“Ireckon，“hesaid，“Icouldn’tbesogoodifIwasn’tbadoncedinawhile。
“Why，there’saskunk，“saidI，noticingtheprettylittleanimaltrottinginfrontofusattheedgeofthethickets。
“Oh，whereisit？Don’tletmeseeit！“screamedMolly。Andatthisdeeplyfeminineremark，theVirginianlookedatherwithsuchasmilethat，hadIbeenawoman，itwouldhavemademehistodowhathepleasedwithonthespot。
Uponthelady，however，itseemedtomakelessimpression。Orrather，Ihadbettersay，whateverwereherfeelings，sheverynaturallymadenodisplayofthem，andcontrivednottobeawareofthatexpressionwhichhadpassedovertheVirginian’sface。
ItwaslaterthatthesefewwordsreachedmewhileIwasfishingalone:“Haveyouanythingdifferenttotellmeyet？“Iheardhimsay。
“Yes；Ihave。“Shespokeinaccentslightandwellintrenched。“I
wishtosaythatIhaveneverlikedanymanbetterthanyou。ButIexpectto！“
Hemusthavedrawnsmallcomfortfromsuchananswerasthat。Buthelaughedoutindomitably:“Don’tyu’gobettingonanysuchexpectation！“Andthentheirwordsceasedtobedistinct，anditwasonlytheirtwovoicesthatIheardwanderingamongthewindingsofthestream。
XXII。“WHATISARUSTLER？“
Weallknowwhatbirdsofafeatherdo。Anditmaybesafelysurmisedthatifabirdofanyparticularfeatherhasbeenforalongwhileunabletoseeotherbirdsofitskind，itwillflockwiththemallthemoreassiduouslywhentheyhappentoalightinitsvicinity。
NowtheOgdenswerebirdsofMolly’sfeather。TheyworeEastern，andnotWestern，plumage，andtheirsongwasadifferentsongfromthatwhichtheBearCreekbirdssang。Tobesure，thepipingoflittleGeorgeTaylorwasfullofhopefulinterest；andmanyotherstrains，bothstrikingandmelodious，wereliftedinCattleLand，andhadgivenpleasuretoMolly’sear。ButalthoughIndians，andbears，andmavericks，makeworthythemesforsong，thesearenottheonlysongsintheworld。ThereforetheEasternwarblingsoftheOgdenssoundeddoublysweettoMollyWood。SuchwordsasNewport，BarHarbor，andTiffany’sthrilledherexceedingly。ItmadenodifferencethatsheherselfhadneverbeentoNewportorBarHarbor，andhadvisitedTiffany’smoreoftentoadmirethantopurchase。Onthecontrary，thisratheraddedadazzletothemusicoftheOgdens。AndMolly，whoseEasternsonghadbeensilentinthisstrangeland，begantochirpitagainduringthevisitthatshemadeattheSunkCreekRanch。
ThustheVirginian’scausebynomeansprosperedatthistime。
Hisforceswerescattered，whileMolly’swereconcentrated。Thegirlwasnotatthatpointwhereabsencemakestheheartgrowfonder。WhiletheVirginianwastrundlinghislong，responsiblemilesinthecaboose，deliveringthecattleatChicago，vanquishingTrampasalongtheYellowstone，shehadregainedherself。
Thusitwasthatshecouldtellhimsoeasilyduringthosefirsthoursthattheywerealoneafterhisreturn，“Iexpecttolikeanothermanbetterthanyou。“
Absencehadrecruitedher。AndthentheOgdenshadreenforcedher。TheybroughttheEastbackpowerfullytohermemory，andherthoughtsfilledwithit。Theydidnotdreamthattheywereassistinginanybattle。NooneeverhadmoreunconsciousalliesthandidMollyatthattime。Butsheusedthemconsciously，oralmostconsciously。Shefrequentedthem；shespokeofEasternmatters；shefoundthatshehadacquaintanceswhomtheOgdensalsoknew，andsheoftenbroughtthemintotheconversation。Foritmaybesaid，Ithink，thatshewasfightingabattle——nay，acampaign。AndperhapsthiswasahopefulsignfortheVirginianhadhebutknownit，thatthegirlresortedtoallies。Shesurroundedherself，shesteepedherself，withtheEast，tohave，asitwere，asortofcounteractantagainstthespelloftheblack-hairedhorseman。
Andhisforceswere，asIhavesaid，scattered。Forhispromotiongavehimnomoretimeforlove-making。Hewasforemannow。HehadsaidtoJudgeHenry，“I’lltrytopleaseyu’。“Andafterthethrobofemotionwhichthesewordshadbothconcealedandconveyed，therecametohimthatsortofintentiontowinwhichamountstoacertainty。Yes，hewouldpleaseJudgeHenry！
Hedidnotknowhowmuchhehadalreadypleasedhim。HedidnotknowthattheJudgewashumorouslyundecidedwhichofhisnewforeman’sfirstactshadthemoredelightedhim:hisperformancewiththemissionary，orhismagnanimitytoTrampas。
“Goodfeelingisagreatthinginanyone，“theJudgewouldsay；
“butIliketoknowthatmyforemanhassomuchsense。“
“Iampersonallyverygratefultohim，“saidMrs。Henry。
Andindeedsowasthewholecompany。TobeafflictedwithDr。
MacBrideforonenightinsteadofsixwasagreatliberation。
ButtheVirginianneversawhissweetheartaloneagain；whileshewasattheSunkCreekRanch，hisdutiescalledhimawaysomuchthattherewasnochanceforhim。Worsestill，thathabitofbirdsofafeatherbroughtaboutaseparationmoreconsiderable。
ShearrangedtogoEastwiththeOgdens。Itwassogoodanopportunitytotravelwithfriends，insteadofmakingthejourneyalone！
Molly’stermofministrationattheschoolhousehadsopleasedBearCreekthatshewaswarmlyurgedtotakeaholiday。Schoolcouldaffordtobeginalittlelate。Accordingly，shedeparted。
TheVirginianhidhissoreheartfromherduringthemomentoffarewellthattheyhad。
“No，I’llnotwantanymorebooks，“hesaid，“tillyu’comeback。“Andthenhemadecheerfulness。“It’sjusttheotherwayround！“saidhe。
“Whatistheotherwayround？“
“Why，lasttimeitwasmethatwenttravelling，andyouthatstayedbehind。“
“Soitwas！“Andhereshegavehimalastscratch。“Butyou’llbebusierthanever，“shesaid；“nosparetimetogrieveaboutme！“
Shecouldwoundhim，andsheknewit。Nobodyelsecould。Thatiswhyshedidit。
Buthegavehersomethingtoremember，too。
“Nexttime，“hesaid，“neitherofuswillstaybehind。We’llbothgotogether。“
Andwiththesewordshegavehernolaughingglance。Itwasalookthatmingledwiththewords；sothatnowandagaininthetrain，bothcamebacktoher，andshesatpensive，drawingneartoBenningtonandhearinghisvoiceandseeinghiseyes。
HowisitthatthisgirlcouldcryathavingtotellSamBannettshecouldnotthinkofhim，andthentreatanotherloverasshetreatedtheVirginian？Icannottellyou，havingneverasIsaidbeforebeenawomanmyself。
Benningtonopeneditsarmstoitsventuresomedaughter。MuchwasmadeofMollyWood。Oldfacesandoldplaceswelcomedher。Fattedcalvesofvaryingdimensionsmadetheirappearance。Andalthoughthefattedcalfisananimalthatcanassumemoredivergentshapesthananyotherknowncreature，——beingsometimeschampagneandpartridges，andagaincakeandcurrantwine，——througheachdisguiseyoucanalwaysidentifythesamecalf。ThegirlfromBearCreekmetitateveryturn。
TheBannettsatHoosicFallsofferedalargespecimentoMolly——adinnerperhapsIshouldsayabanquetoftwenty-four。AndSamBannettofcoursetookhertodrivemorethanonce。
“IwanttoseetheHoosicBridge，“shewouldsay。Andwhentheyreachedthatwell-rememberedpoint，“Howlovelyitis！“sheexclaimed。Andasshegazedattheviewupanddownthevalley，shewouldgrowpensive。“Hownaturalthechurchlooks，“shecontinued。Andthen，havingcrossedbothbridges，“Oh，there’sthedearoldlodgegate！“Oragain，whiletheydroveupthevalleyofthelittleHoosic:“Ihadforgottenitwassoniceandlonely。Butafterall，nowoodsaresointerestingasthosewhereyoumightpossiblyseeabearoranelk。“Anduponanotheroccasion，afteracryofenthusiasmattheviewfromthetopofMountAnthony，“It’slovely，lovely，lovely，“shesaid，withdiminishingcadence，endinginpensivenessoncemore。“Doyouseethatlittlebitjustthere？No，notwherethetreesare——thatbarespotthatlooksbrownandwarminthesun。Withalittlesagebrush，thatspotwouldlooksomethinglikeaplaceIknowonBearCreek。Onlyofcourseyoudon’tgettheclearairhere。“
“Idon’tforgetyou，“saidSam。“Doyourememberme？Orisitoutofsightoutofmind？“
Andwiththisbeginningherenewedhissuit。Shetoldhimthatsheforgotnoone；thatsheshouldreturnalways，lesttheymightforgether。
“Returnalways！“heexclaimed。“Youtalkasifyouranchorwasdragging。“
Wasit？Atallevents，Samfailedinhissuit。
OverinthehouseatDunbarton，theoldladyheldMolly’shandandlookedalongwhileather。“Youhavechangedverymuch，“shesaidfinally。
“Iamayearolder，“saidthegirl。
“Pshaw，mydear！“saidthegreat-aunt。“Whoishe？“
“Nobody！“criedMolly，withindignation。
“Thenyoushouldn’tanswersoloud，“saidthegreat-aunt。
Thegirlsuddenlyhidherface。“Idon’tbelieveIcanloveanyone，“shesaid，“exceptmyself。“
Andthenthatoldlady，whoinherdayhadmadehercourtesytoLafayette，begantostrokeherniece’sburiedhead，becauseshemorethanhalfunderstood。Andunderstandingthusmuch，sheaskednopryingquestions，butthoughtofthedaysofherownyouth，andonlyspokealittlequietloveandconfidencetoMolly。
“Iamanold，oldwoman，“shesaid。“ButIhaven’tforgottenaboutit。Theyobjectedtohimbecausehehadnofortune。Buthewasbraveandhandsome，andIlovedhim，mydear。OnlyIoughttohavelovedhimmore。Igavehimmypromisetothinkaboutit。Andheandhisshipwerelost。“Thegreat-aunt’svoicehadbecomeverysoftandlow，andshespokewithmanypauses。“SothenI
knew。IfIhad——if——perhapsIshouldhavelosttrim；butitwouldhavebeenafter——ah，well！Solongasyoucanhelpit，nevermarry！Butwhenyoucannothelpitamomentlonger，thenlistentonothingbutthat；for，mydear，IknowyourchoicewouldbeworthyoftheStarks。Andnow——letmeseehispicture。“
“Why，aunty！“saidMolly。
“Well，Iwon’tpretendtobesupernatural，“saidtheaunt，“butI
thoughtyoukeptonebackwhenyouwereshowingusthoseWesternviewslastnight。“
Nowthiswastheprecisetruth。MollyhadbroughtanumberofphotographsfromWyomingtoshowtoherfriendsathome。These，however，withoneexception，werenotportraits。Theywereviewsofsceneryandofcattleround-ups，andotherscenescharacteristicofranchlife。Ofyoungmenshehadinherpossessionseveralphotographs，andallbutoneoftheseshehadleftbehindher。Heraunt’spenetrationhadinawaymesmerizedthegirl；sheroseobedientlyandsoughtthatpictureoftheVirginian。Itwasfulllength，displayinghiminallhiscow-boytrappings，——theleathernchaps，thebeltandpistol，andinhishandacoilofrope。
Notoneofherfamilyhadseenit，orsuspecteditsexistence。
Shenowbroughtitdownstairsandplaceditinheraunt’shand。
“Mercy！“criedtheoldlady。
Mollywassilent，buthereyegrewwarlike。
“Isthattheway——“begantheaunt。“Mercy！“shemurmured；andshesatstaringatthepicture。