"Pearl!" he cried aloud, and it was like some strong affirmation of
life. He lifted his eyes, bold and unafraid, as an eagle's, to the
sun-flooded, brazen, blue heavens. Time stood still. He had drunk at a
new fountain--love, and, although his thirst was still unquenched, he
was eternal youth. The heart of life breathed through him. He looked
upon the sky, a man unconquered, unbeaten, undaunted by life. He was
its master. Did she ask the snow peaks yonder? He would gather them as
footstools for her little feet. Was it gold she desired? It should be as
dust for her hands to scatter to the winds. Was it name, place, state,
she asked? They should be plucked forthwith from a supine world and
offered her as a nosegay.

Again, confidently now, he stooped and kissed her lips. It seemed to him
that roses and stars fell about them. "You love me, Pearl," he had
cried, in incredulous joy, "you love me."

For answer she smiled sweetly, ardently into his eyes: "'Love me
to-day,'" she sang, nestling close to his heart.




CHAPTER IV


It was almost a week before Bob Flick returned, and during that time
Pearl saw Hanson almost constantly, although to do so she had
continually to match her quickness and subtlety against that of her
father and Hughie; but even while she and her father met each other with