wn　the　bank。
  She　followed　him　willingly。　She　had　seen　him　greet　Fred；　and　Jack　Bedford；　and　even　the　gentle　Professor　with　just　such　outbursts　of　affection；　and　she　knew　there　was　nothing　especially　personal　to　her　in　it　all。　It　was　only　his　way　of　saying　he　was　glad　to　see　her。
  Oliver　laid　the　basket　and　tin　can　on　a　flat　stone　that　the　spring　freshets　had　scoured　clean；　spread　his　brown　corduroy　jacket　on　the　pebbly　beach　beside　it；　and　with　a　laugh　and　the　mock　gesture　of　a　courtier；　　conducted　her　to　the　head　of　his　improvised　table。　Margaret　laughed　and　returned　the　bow；　stepping　backward　with　the　sweep　of　a　great　lady；　and　settled　herself　beside　him。　In　a　moment　she　was　on　her　knees　bending　over　the　brook；　her　hands　in　the　water；　the　tam…o'…shanter　beside　her。　She　must　wash　her　hands；　she　said〃there　was　a　whole　lot　of　chrome　yellow　on　her　fingers〃and　she　held　them　up　with　a　laugh　for　Oliver's　inspection。　Oliver　watched　her　while　she　dried　and　bathed　her　shapely　hands；　smoothed　the　hair　from　her　temples　and　tightened　the　coil　at　the　back　of　her　head　which　held　all　this　flood　of　gold　in　check；　then　he　threw　himself　down　beside　her；　waiting　until　she　should　serve　the　feast。
  As　he　told　her　of　his　trip　up　the　valley　and　the　effect　it　made　upon　him；　and　how　he　had　never　dreamed　of　anything　so　beautiful；　and　how　good　the　Pollards　were；　and　what　he　had　painted　and　what　he　expected　to　paint；　talking　all　the　time　with　his　thumb　circling　about　as　if　it　was　a　bit　of　charcoal　and　the　air　it　swept　through　but　a　sheet　of　Whatman's　best；　her　critical　eye　roamed　over　his　figure　and　costume。　　She　had　caught　in　her　first　swift；　comprehensive　　glance　from　over　the　bridge…rail；　the　loose　jacket　and　broad…brimmed　planter's　hat；　around　which；　with　his　love　of　color；　Oliver　had　twisted　a　spray　of　　nasturtium　blossoms　and　leaves　culled　from　the　garden…　patch　that　morning；　but　now　that　he　was　closer；　she　saw　the　color　in　his　cheeks　and　noticed；　with　a　suppressed　　smile；　the　slight　mustache　curling　at　the　ends；　a　new　feature　since　the　school　had　closed。　She　followed　　too　the　curves　of　the　broad　chest　and　the　muscles　outlined　through　his　shirt。　She　had　never　thought　him　so　strong　and　graceful；　nor　so　handsome。　（The　smile　came　to　the　surface　nowan　approving；　admiring　smile。）　It　was　the　mountain…climbing；　no　doubt；　she　said　to　herself；　and　the　open…air　life　that　had　wrought　the　change。
  With　a　laugh　and　toss　of　her　head　she　unpacked　her　own　basket　and　laid　her　contribution　to　the　feast　on　the　flat　rockthe　pie　on　a　green　dock…leaf；　which　she　reached　over　and　pulled　from　the　water's　edge；　and　the　cake　on　the　pink　napkinthe　only　sign　of　city　luxury　in　her　outlay。　Oliver's　eye　meanwhile　wandered　over　her　figure　and　costumea　costume　he　had　never　seen　before　on　any　living　woman；　certainly　　not　any　woman　around　Kennedy　Square。　The　cloth　skirt　came　to　her　ankles；　which　were　covered　　with　yarn　stockings；　and　her　feet　were　encased　in　shoes　that　gave　him　the　shivers；　the　soles　being　as　thick　as　his　own　and　the　leather　as　tough。　（Sue　Clayton　would　have　died　with　laughter　had　she　seen　those　shoes。）　Her　blouse　was　of　gray　flannel；　belted　to　the　waist　by　a　cotton　saddle…girthwhite　and　red　and　as　broad　as　her　hand。　The　tam…o'…shanter　was　coarse　and　rough；　evidently　home…made；　and　not　at　all　like　McFudd's；　which　was　as　soft　as　the　back　of　a　kitten　and　without　a　seam。
  Then　his　eyes　sought　her　face。　He　noticed　how　brown　she　wasand　how　ruddy　and　healthy。　How　red　the　lipsred　as　mountain…berries；　and　back　of　them　big　white　teethwhite　as　peeled　almonds。　He　caught　the　line　of　the　shoulders　and　the　round　of　the　full　arm　and　tapering　wrist；　and　the　small；　well…　shaped　hand。　〃Queer　clothes；〃　he　said　to　himself　〃but　the　girl　inside　is　all　right。〃
  Sitting　under　the　shadow　of　the　old　bridge　on　the　main　highway；　each　weighed　and　balanced　the　other；　even　as　they　talked　aloud　of　the　Academy　School；　and　the　pupils；　and　the　dear　old　Professor　whom　they　both　loved。　They　discussed　the　prospect　of　its　doors　being　opened　the　next　winter。　They　talked　of　Mrs。　Mulligan；　and　the　old　Italian　who　sold　peanuts；　and　whose　head　Margaret　had　painted；　and　of　Jack　Bedford　and　Fred　Stonethe　dearest　fellow　in　the　worldand　last　year's　picturesespecially　Church's　〃Niagara；〃　the　sensation　of　the　year；　and　Whittredge's　　〃Mountain　Brook；〃　and　every　other　subject　their　two　busy　brains　could　rake　and　scrape　up　except　and　this　subject；　strange　to　say；　was　the　only　one　really　engrossing　their　two　mindsthe　overturning　of　Mr。　Judson's　body　on　the　art…school　floor；　and　the　upsetting　of　Miss　Grant's　mind　for　days　thereafter。　Once　Oliver　had　unintentionally　neared　the　danger…　line　by　mentioning　the　lithographer's　name；　but　Margaret　　had　suddenly　become　interested　in　the　movements　　of　a　chipmunk　that　had　crept　down　for　the　crumbs　of　their　luncheon；　and　with　a　woman's　wit　had　raised　her　finger　to　her　lips　to　command　silence　lest　he　should　be　frightened　off。
  They　painted　no　more　that　afternoon。　When　the　shadows　began　to　fall　in　the　valley　they　started　up　the　road；　picking　up　Oliver's　easel　and　trapboth　had　stood　unmolested　and　would　have　done　so　all　summer　with　perfect　safetyand　Oliver　walked　with　Margaret　as　far　as　the　bars　that　led　into　Taft's　　pasture。　There　they　bade　each　other　good…night；　　Margaret　promising　to　be　ready　in　the　morning　with　her　big　easel　and　a　fresh　canvas；　which　Oliver　was　to　carry；　when　they　would　both　go　sketching　together　and　make　a　long　blessed　summer　day　of　it。
  That　night　Oliver's　upraised；　restless　hands　felt　the　shingles　over　his　head　more　than　once　before　he　could　get　to　sleep。　He　had　not　thought　he　could　be　any　happierbut　he　was。　Margaret's　unexpected　appearance　had　restored　to　him　that　something　which　the　old　life　at　home　had　always　yielded。　He　was　never　really　happy　without　the　companionship　of　a　woman；　and　this　he　had　not　had　since　leaving　Kennedy　　Square。　Those　he　had　met　on　rare　occasions　in　New　York　were　either　too　conventional　or　selfconscious；　　or　they　seemed　to　be　offended　at　his　familiar　　Southern　ways。　This　one　was　so　sensible　and　companionable；　and　so　appreciative　and　sympathetic。　He　felt　he　could　say　anything　to　her　and　she　would　know　what　he　meant。　Perhaps；　too；　by　and　by　she　would　understand　just　why　he　had　upset　a　man　who　had　been　rude　to　her。
  Margaret　lay　awake；　toonot　longnot　more　than　five　minutes；　perhaps。　Long　enough；　however；　to　wish　she　was　not　so　sunburnt；　and　that　she　had　brought　her　other　dress　and　a　pair　of　gloves　and　a　hat　instead　of　this　rough　mountain…suit。　Long　enough；　too；　to　recall　Oliver's　standing　beside　her　on　the　bridge　with　his　big　hat　sweeping　the　ground；　the　color　mounting　to　his　cheeks；　and　that　joyous　look　in　his　eyes。
  〃Was　he　really　glad　to　see　me；〃　she　said　to　herself；　as　she　dropped　off　into　dreamland；　〃or　is　it　his　way　with　all　the　women　he　meets？　I　wonder；　too；　if　he　protects　them　all？〃
  And　so　ended　a　day　that　always　rang　out　in　Oliver's　　memory　with　a　note　of　its　own。
  These　dreams　under　the　shingles！　What　would　life　be　without　them？
  CHAPTER　XIV
  UNDER　A　BARK　SLANT
  The　weeks　that　followed　were　rare　ones　for　　Margaret　and　Oliver。
  They　painted　all　day　and　every　day。
  The　little　school…children　posed　for　them；　and　so　did　the　prim　school…mistress；　a　girl　of　eighteen　in　spectacles　with　hair　cut　short　in　the　neck。　And　old　Jonathan　Gordon；　the　fisherman；　posed；　too；　with　a　string　of　trout　in　one　hand　and　a　long　pole　cut　from　a　sapling　in　the　other。　And　once　our　two　young　comrades　painted　the　mill…dam　and　the　mill　Oliver　doing　the　first　and　Margaret　the　last；　and　Baker；　the　miller；　caught　them　at　it；　and　insisted　in　all　sincerity　that　some　of　the　money　which　the　pictures　brought　must　come　to　him；　if　the　report　were　true　that　painters　did　get　money　for　pictures。　〃It's　my　mill；　ain't　it？and　I　ain't　give　no　permission　to　take　no　part　of　it　away。　Hev　I？〃
  They　climbed　the　ravines；　Margaret　carrying　the　luncheon　and　Oliver　the　sketch…traps；　they　built　fires　of　birch…bark　and　roasted　potatoes；　or　made　tea　in　the　little　earthen　pot　that　Mrs。　Taft　loaned　her。　Or　they　waited　for　the　stage　in　the　early　morning；　and　went　half　a　dozen　miles　down　the　valley　to　paint　some　waterfall　Oliver　had　seen　the　day　he　drove　up　with　Marvin；　or　a　particular　glimpse　of　Moose　Hillock　from　the　covered　bridge；　or　various　shady　nooks　and　sunlit　vistas　that　remained　fastened　in　Oliver's　mind；　and　the　memory　of　which　made　him　unhappy　until　Margaret　could　enjoy　them；　too。
  The　fact　that　he　and　a　woman　whom　he　had　known　but　a　little　while　were　roaming　the　woods　together；　quite　as　a　brother　and　sister　might　have　done；　never　occurred　to　him。　If　it　had　it　would　have　made　no　difference；　nor　could　he　have　understood　why　any　barrier　should　have　been　put　up　between　them。　He　had　been　taking　care　of　girls　in　that　same　way　all　his　life。　Every　woman　was　a　sister　to　him　so　far　as　his　reverent　protection　over　her　went。　The　traditions　of　Kennedy　Square　had　taught　him　this。
  As　the　joyous　weeks　flew　by；　even　the　slight　reserve　　which　had　marked　their　earlier　intercourse　began　　to　wear　off。　It　was　〃Oliver〃　and　〃Margaret〃　now；　and　even　〃Ollie〃　and　〃Madge〃　when　they　forgot　themselves　and　each　other　in　their　work。
  To　Margaret　this　free　and　happy　l