the smart new houses that had sprung around it. The old man had
lived in the glen for nearly three-quarters of a century, and he, if
any one, must know the girl. With the thought, Clayton sprang
through the window, and a few minutes later was at the cabin. The
old man sat whittling in the porch, joining in the song with which
his wife was crooning a child to sleep within. Clayton easily
identified Europa, as he had christened her; the simple mention of
her means of transport was sufficient.

Ridin' a bull, was she? " repeated the old man, laughing. "Well,
that was Easter Hicks, old Bill Hicks' gal. She's a sort o'
connection o' mine. Me and Bill married cousins.

She's a cur'us critter as ever I seed. She don' seem to take atter her
dad nur her mammy nother, though Bill allus had a quar streak in
'im, and was the wust man I ever seed when he was disguised by
licker. Whar does she live? Oh, up thar, right on top o' Wolf
Mountain, with her mammy."

Alone?

"Yes; fer her dad ain't thar. No; 'n' he ain't dead. I'll tell ye"-the
old man lowered his tone-" thar used to be a big lot o' moonshinin'
done in these parts, 'n' a raider come hyeh to see 'bout it. Well, one
mornin' he was found layin' in the road with a bullet through him.
Bill was s'picioned. Now, I ain't a-sayin' as Bill done it, but when a
whole lot more rode up thar on hosses one night, they didn't find
Bill. They hain't found him yit, fer he's out in the mountains
somewhar a-hidin'."