A fence rail is not a comfortable seat. It is used in some parts of the country in such a manner as to impress the sitter with the fact of its extreme discomfort, and as a gentle hint that his presence is not wanted in that immediate neighborhood. Yates recollected this, with a smile, as he slid off and stumbled into the ditch by the side of the road. His mind had been so preoccupied that he had forgotten about the ditch. As he walked along the road toward the star that guided him he remembered he had recklessly offered Miss Kitty to the callous professor. After all, no one knew about the episode of a short time before except himself and Margaret, and he felt convinced she was not a girl to boast of her conquests. Anyhow, it didn’t matter. A man is surely master of himself.
As he neared the window he looked in. People are not particular about lowering the blinds in the country. He was rather disappointed to see Mrs. Bartlett sitting there knitting, like the industrious woman she was. Still it was consoling to note that none of the men-folks were present, and that Kitty, with her fluffy hair half concealing her face, sat reading a book he had lent to her. He rapped at the door, and it was opened by Mrs. Bartlett, with some surprise.
“For the land’s sake! is that you, Mr. Yates?”
“Come right in. Why, what’s the matter with you? You look as if you had lost your best friend. Ah, I see how it is,”--Yates started,--“you have run out of provisions, and are very likely as hungry as a bear.”
“You’ve hit it first time, Mrs. Bartlett. I dropped around to see if I could borrow a loaf of bread. We don’t bake till to-morrow.”
“Nice baking you would do if you tried it. I’ll get you a loaf in a minute. Are you sure one is enough?”
The good woman bustled out to the other room for the loaf, and Yates made good use of her temporary absence.
“Kitty,” he whispered, “I want to see you alone for a few minutes. I’ll wait for you at the gate. Can you slip out?”
“They have a warrant out for my arrest, and I’m off to-morrow before they can serve it. But I couldn’t go without seeing you. You’ll come, sure?”
Again Kitty nodded, after looking up at him in alarm when he spoke of the warrant. Before anything further could be said Mrs. Bartlett came in, and Kitty was absorbed in her book.