said. "You jes' got to LEND me some."

"All right, honey," said the old man, and he cleared his throat as
a signal for Hale.

The little girl was pushing her bonnet back when Hale stepped into
sight and, unstartled, unsmiling, unspeaking, she looked steadily
at him--one hand motionless for a moment on her bronze heap of
hair and then slipping down past her cheek to clench the other
tightly. Uncle Billy was bewildered.

"Why, June, hit's Mr. Hale--why---"

"Howdye, June!" said Hale, who was no less puzzled--and still she
gave no sign that she had ever seen him before except reluctantly
to give him her hand. Then she turned sullenly away and sat down
in the door of the mill with her elbows on her knees and her chin
in her hands.

Dumfounded, the old miller pulled the sack of corn from the horse
and leaned it against the mill. Then he took out his pipe, filled
and lighted it slowly and turned his perplexed eyes to the sun.

"Well, honey," he said, as though he were doing the best he could
with a difficult situation, "I'll have to git you that meal at the
house. 'Bout dinner time now. You an' Mr. Hale thar come on and
git somethin' to eat afore ye go back."

"I got to get on back home," said June, rising.