then. I guess we'll pay him out for lyin'."
On returning to the room, Bancroft became conscious of a thinly veiled
antagonism on the part of the young men. But he had hardly time to
notice it, when Miss Loo came in and said to him demurely, "Loo." He
spelt "You." Much laughter from the girls greeted the simple pleasantry.
So the game, punctuated by kisses, went on, until Miss Loo came in for
the fourth time, and stopped again before Bancroft, whereupon Seth
Stevens pushed through the crowd of young men, and said:
"Miss Loo Conklin! You know the rule is to change after three times."
At once she moved in front of the stout youth, Richards, who had come
forward to support his friend, and said "liar!" flashing at the same
time an angry glance at Stevens. "Lire," spelt Richards painfully, and
the pair withdrew.
Bancroft went over to the men's corner; the critical moment had come; he
measured his rival with a glance. Stevens was tall, fully six feet in
height, and though rather lank, had the bow legs and round shoulders
which often go with strength.
As he took up his new position, Stevens remarked to a companion, in a
contemptuous drawl:
"Schoolmasters kin talk an' teach, but kin they fight?"
Bancroft took it upon himself to answer, "Sometimes."
"Kin you?" asked Stevens sharply, turning to him.
"Well enough."
"We kin try that to-morrow. I'll be in the lot behind Richards' mill at
four o'clock."
"I'll be there," replied the schoolmaster, making his way again towards
the group of girls.
Nothing further happened until the old folk came in, and the party broke
up. Driving homewards with Miss Conklin, Bancroft began:
"How can I thank you enough for being so kind to me? You called me out
often, almost as often as I called you."
"I did that to rile Seth Stevens."
"And not at all to please me?"
"Perhaps a little," she said, and silence fell upon them.
His caution led him to restrain himself. He was disturbed by vague
doubts, and felt the importance of a decisive word. Presently Miss
Conklin spoke, in a lower voice than usual, but with an accent of
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