"You"re a smart lawyer, Dave," commented Uncle Larimy.

David looked at him whimsically.

"I had a smart client, Uncle Larimy."

"That"s what you did, Dave, but he"s gettin" too dernd smart. You"d a done some of us a favor if you"d let him git sent up."

CHAPTER V

"Dave," said Barnabas on one memorable day, "the Jedge hez hed his innings trying to make you a lawyer. Now it"s my turn."

"All right, Uncle Barnabas, I am ready."

"Hain"t you hed enough of law, Dave? You"ve given it a good trial, and showed what you could do. It"ll be a big help to you to know the law, and it"ll allers be sumthin" to fall back on when things get slack, but ain"t you pinin" fer somethin" a leetle spryer?"

"Yes, I am," was the frank admission. "I like the excitement attending a case, and the fight to win, but it"s drudgery between times--like soldiering in time of peace."

"Wal, Dave, I"ve got a job fer you wuth hevin", and one that starts toward what you air a-goin" to be."

David"s breath came quickly.

"What is it?"

"Thar"s no reason at all why you can"t go to legislatur" and make new laws instead of settin" in the Jedge"s office and larnin" to dodge old ones. I"m a-runnin" politics in these parts, and I"m a-goin" to git you nominated. After that, you"ll go the hull gamut--so "t will be up the ladder and over the wall fer you, Dave."

So, David, to the astonishment of the Judge, put his foot on the first round of the political ladder as candidate for the legislature.

At the same time Janey returned from the school in the East, where she had been "finished," and David"s heart beat an inspiring tattoo every time he looked at her, but he was nominated by a speech-loving, speech-demanding district, and he had so many occasions for oratory that only s.n.a.t.c.hes of her companionship were possible throughout the summer.

Joe came on to join in the excitement attending the campaign. It had been some time since his last visit, and he scarcely recognized David when he met him at the Lafferton station.

"Well, Dave," said the ranchman, "if you are as strong and sure as you look, you won"t need my help in the campaign."

"I always need you, Joe. But you haven"t changed in the least, unless you look more serious than ever, perhaps."

"It"s the outdoor life does that. Take a field-bred lad, he always shies a bit at people."

"Your horse does, too, I notice. He arrived safely a week ago, and I put him up at the livery here in Lafferton. I was afraid he would demoralize all the horses at the farm."

"Good! I"ll ride out this evening. I have a little business to attend to here in town, and I want to see the Judge and his wife, of course."

When the western sky line gleamed in crimson glory Joe came riding at a long lope up the lane. He sat his spirited horse easily, one leg thrown over the horn of his saddle. As he neared the house, a thrashing machine started up. The desert-bred horse shied, and performed maneuvers terrifying to Janey, but Joe in the saddle was ever a part of the horse. Quietly and impa.s.sively he guided the frightened animal until the machine was pa.s.sed. Then he slid from the horse and came up to Janey and David, who were awaiting his coming.

"This can never be little Janey!" he exclaimed, holding her hand reverently.

"I haven"t changed as much as Davey has," she replied, dimpling.

"Oh, yes, you have! You are a woman. David is still a boy, in spite of his six feet."

"You don"t know about Davey!" she said breathlessly. "He has won all kinds of law cases, and he is going to the legislature."

Joe laughed.

"I repeat, he is still a boy."

On the morrow David started forth on a round of speech making, canva.s.sing the entire district. He returned at the wane of October"s golden glow for the round-up, as Joe termed the finish of the campaign. The flaunting crimson of the maples, the more sedate tinge of the oaks, the vivid yellow of the birches, the squashes piled up on the farmhouse porches, and the fields filled with pyramidal stacks of cornstalks brought a vague sense of loneliness as he rode out from Lafferton to the farm. He left his horse at the barn and came up to the house through the old orchard as the long, slanting rays of sunlight were making afternoon shadows of all who crossed their path.

He found Janey sitting beneath their favorite tree. An open book lay beside her. She was gazing abstractedly into s.p.a.ce, with a new look in her star-like eyes.

David"s big, untouched heart gave a quick leap. He took up the book and with an exultant little laugh discovered that it was a book of poems! Janey, who could never abide fairy stories, reading poetry!

Surprised and embarra.s.sed, after a shy greeting she hurried toward the house, her cheeks flaming. Something very beautiful and breath-taking came into David"s thoughts at that moment.

He was roused from his beatific state by the approach of Barnabas, so he was obliged to concentrate his attention on giving a resume of his tour. Then the Judge telephoned for him to come to his office, and he was unable to finish his business there until dusk. The night was clear and frost touched. He left his horse in the lane and walked up to the house. As he came on to the porch he looked in through the window. The bright fire on the hearth, the soft glow of the shaded lamp, and the fair-haired girl seated by a table, needlework in hand, gave him a hunger for a hearth of his own.

Suddenly the scene shifted. Joe came in from the next room. Janey rose to her feet, a look of love lighting her face as she went to the arms outstretched to receive her.

CHAPTER VI

David went back to Lafferton. The little maid informed him that the Judge and his wife were out for the evening; but there was always a room in readiness for him, so he sat alone by the window, staring into the lighted street, trying to comprehend that Janey was not for him.

It was late the next morning when he came downstairs.

"I am glad, David, you decided to stay here last night," said M"ri, whose eyes were full of a yearning solicitude.

She sat down at the table with him while he drank his coffee.

"David."

She spoke in a desperate tone, that caused him to glance keenly at her.

"If you have anything to tell," he said quietly, "it"s a good plan to tell it at once."

"Since you have been away Joe and Janey have been together constantly. It seems to have been a case of mutual love. David, they are engaged."

"So," he said gravely, "I am to lose my little sister. Joe is a man in a thousand."

"But, David, I had set my heart on Janey"s marrying you, from that very first day when you went to school together and you carried her books. Do you remember?"

"Yes," he replied whimsically, "but even then Joe met us and took her away from me. But I must drive out and congratulate them."

M"ri gazed after him in perplexity as he left the house.