to give a fair chance to the rising beauties
of the age.'' But the most conscious of the
fair was Mollie below, whose face was
flushed and whose brown fingers were
nervously twisting the ribbons in her lap,
and I saw Buck nudge her and heard him
whisper:

``Dave ain't going to pick YOU out, I
tell ye. I heered Mr. Budd thar myself
tell him he HAD to pick out some other
gal.''

``You hush!'' said Mollie indignantly.

It looked as though the Knight of the
Cumberland had grown rebellious and
meant to choose whom he pleased, but on
his way back the Hon. Sam must have
given more surreptitious signs, for the
Knight of the Cumberland reined in before
the Blight and held up his lance to her.
Straightway the colors that were meant for
Marston fluttered from the Knight of the
Cumberland's spear. I saw Marston bite
his lips and I saw Mollie's face aflame with
fury and her eyes darting lightning--no
longer at Marston now, but at the Blight.
The mountain girl held nothing against the
city girl because of the Wild Dog's infatuation,