Part 24 (1/2)

”Dad,” she asked, ”Do you think I know enough now to live in the city?”

The old man's heart sank. It had come then. Bravely he concealed his feelings, as he a.s.sured her in the strongest terms, that she knew enough, and was good enough to live anywhere.

”Then,” said Sammy; ”I know enough, even if I am not good enough, to live in the hills.”

The brown eyes, deep under their s.h.a.ggy brows, were aglow with gladness, and there was a note of triumph in the scholar's voice as he said, ”Then you do not regret learning the things I have tried to teach you? You are sure you have no sorrow for the things you are losing.”

”Regret? Dad. Regret?” The young woman drew herself up and lifted her arms. ”Oh, Dad, I see it all, now; all that you have been trying in a thousand ways to teach me. You have led me into a new world, the real world, the world that has always been and must always be, and in that world man is king; king because he is a man. And the treasure of his kingdom is the wealth of his manhood.”

”And the woman, Sammy, the woman?”

”'And they twain shall be one flesh.'”

Then the master knew that his teaching had not been in vain. ”I can lead you no farther, my child,” he said with a smile. ”You have pa.s.sed the final test.”

She came close to him, ”Then I want my diploma,” she said, for he had told her about the schools.

Reverently the old scholar kissed her brow. ”This is the only diploma I am authorized to give--the love and homage of your teacher.”

”And my degree?” She waited with that wide, questioning look in her eyes.

”The most honorable in all the world--a sure enough lady.”

CHAPTER x.x.xI.

CASTLE BUILDING.

The corn was big enough to cultivate the first time, and Young Matt with Old Kate was hard at work in the field west of the house.

It was nearly three weeks since the incident at the mill, since which time the young fellow had not met Sammy Lane to talk with her. He had seen her, though, at a distance nearly every day, for the girl had taken up her studies again, and spent most of her time out on the hills with the shepherd. That day he saw her as she turned into the mill road at the lower corner of the field, on her way to the Forks. And he was still thinking of her three hours later, as he sat on a stump in the shade of the forest's edge, while his horse was resting.

Young Matt recalled the fight at the mill with a wild joy in his heart. Under any circ.u.mstances it was no small thing to have defeated the champion strong man and terror of the hills. It was a glorious thing to have done the deed for the girl he loved, and under her eyes. Sammy might give herself to Ollie, now, and go far away to the great world, but she could never forget the man who had saved her from insult, when her lover was far too weak to save even himself. And Young Matt would stay in the hills alone, but always he would have the knowledge and the triumph of this thing that he had done. Yes, it would be easier now, but still--still the days would be years when there was no longer each morning the hope that somewhere before the day was gone he would see her.

The sun fell hot and glaring on the hillside field, and in the air was the smell of the freshly turned earth. High up in the blue a hawk circled and circled again. A puff of air came sighing through the forest, touched lightly the green blades in the open, slipped over the ridge, and was lost in the sky beyond. Old Kate, with head down, was dreaming of cool springs in shady dells, and a little s.h.i.+ny brown lizard with a bright blue tail crept from under the bottom rail of the fence to see why the man was so still.

The man turned his head quickly; the lizard dodged under the rail; and old Kate awoke with a start. Someone was coming along the road below. Young Matt knew the step of that horse, as well as he knew the sound of old Kate's bell, or the neigh of his own sorrel.

The brown pony stopped at the lower corner of the field, and a voice called, ”You'd better be at work. I don't believe you have ploughed three rows since I pa.s.sed.”

The big fellow went eagerly down the hill to the fence. ”I sure ought to o' done better'n that, for it's been long enough since you went by. I always notice, though, that it gets a heap farther to the other side of the field and back about this time o' day.

What's new over to the Forks?”

Sammy laughed, ”Couldn't hear a thing but how the champion strong man was beaten at his own game. Uncle Ike says, 'Ba thundas! You tell Young Matt that he'd better come over. A man what can ride Wash Gibbs a bug huntin' is too blamed good a man t' stay at home all th' time. We want him t' tell us how he done it. Ba thundas!

He'll be gittin' a job with th' gov'ment next. What!'”