"
"Lin Slone--you'll accept the blame!" she whispered, with wide, dark eyes on
him, hands at his shoulders.
"Sure I will," replied Slone. "I can't be any worse off."
"You're better than all of them--my rider!" she cried, full-voiced and
tremulous. "Lin, you make me love you so--it--it hurts!" And she seemed about
to fling herself into his arms again. There was a strangeness about her--a
glory. "But you'll not take the shame of that act. For I won't let you. I'll
tell my father I was with you when the boat was cut loose. He'll believe me."
"Yes, an' he'll KILL me!" groaned Slone. "Good Lord! Lucy, don't do that!"
"I will! An' he'll not kill you. Lin, Dad took a great fancy to you. I know
that. He thinks he hates you. But in his heart he doesn't. If he got hold of
Wildfire--why, he'd never be able to do enough for you. He never could make it
up. What do you think? I told him you hugged and kissed me shamefully that
day."
"Oh, Lucy! you didn't?" implored Slone.
"I sure did. And what do you think? He said he once did the same to my mother!
.
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