that way about me only too often in my infancy. I felt that I hated the
whole world until I had to except the fledgling, who rode down to the
gate on the running-board just over my left shoulder, while Sam came
along to hold him on.

"Betty, you is the prettiest lady they is if your eyes do crinkle when
you laugh, and ain't blue. I'd let you kiss me anywhere I'm clean
enough, if you bring me just one pigeon that will lay eggs for little
ones," he said, as I slowed up for him to climb down to open the gate.

"She could get one cheaper than that, Byrd," said Sam, as he got down to
open the gate, while for a second I snuggled the fledgling, whom I
always hated to leave out in the woods in the dark, even with Sam's
rough hand so near his pillow.

"Thank you," I said, pleasantly, as I drove through the gate, without
stopping another ten minutes to chat, as I knew daddy wanted to. I'm
glad Samuel Foster Crittenden will never know just exactly what I was
cross about, as I wasn't sure myself. It is strange how you can hate a
person for whom you have the deep regard I have for Sam, when he has
done nothing at all to offend you.

That night I fought it all out with myself about Peter. I felt that Sam
had brought the sore spot in my heart to head and I would have to
operate and find out what was really there. Accordingly, after I had
safely anchored myself in the middle of my old four-poster bed I slashed
myself. This is what I found. That I had made up my mind to marry Peter
just as soon as he wanted me to, which I knew would not be until after
the play was finished down in Sam's wilderness. I had two reasons for my
intention. Nobody in the world ever loved and depended on me as Peter