all of a sudden! Funny, if he really should love old Jude, with her
fiery temper and more fiery tongue. And if this were love, love was not
so comfortable a feeling, after all. It was a profound uneasiness, that
uprooted every settled habit of his spiritual being. It was, he told
himself, before he fell asleep, a funny thing, love!




CHAPTER II

OSCAR JEFFERSON

"Help those that need help."

_--Grandma Brown_.


The next morning while Doug was feeding in the corral, his father hitched
a team to the hay wagon. Just as he prepared to climb over the wheel,
Judith came out, ready for her ride to the Days' ranch, where she was
to spend the day.

"Say, Jude," called John. "I want Doug to go to the old ranch after some
colts. You come with me and help feed. I'm going to get all I can out of
you two until school begins again."

Judith crossed silently to the wagon and climbed aboard. Douglas dropped
his pitchfork and walked deliberately toward the fence. As he climbed it,
he said, "Judith, you aren't going. You keep your date with Maud." He