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ON THE fifth morning of the protracted meeting, Nessie Sutton was bold enough to walk out of the dining room of the Scovell House with Abner Teeftallow and see him off to work.

Nessie had a certain right to do this without being gossiped about because she and Abner went to meeting together every night, she had prayed for Abner publicly at the invitation of the minister, kneeling by his side and silently asking God to save him. This action had given her a position so that she could walk out on the piazza with him without arousing small talk.

At this moment she held to a button on his sleeve.

"And Abner, after you join the church, you could start readin' law of evenings. Mr. Sharp will lend you his books. . . ." She loosed the button and looked at Abner with soft possessive eyes.

"How do you know he would?" asked the teamster, to whom the notion of becoming a lawyer was both vague and repellent.

Nessie coloured slightly. "I—I asked him would he."

"You did!" Abner was surprised at the length the girl had gone. A thing like that Abner was accustomed simply to talk about.

Nessie went on: "Mr. Sharp laughed and said 'Certainly.' He said more Southern girls ought to go in for the professions. He said he would give me quizzes."

"Give you quizzes?"

"Well, y-yes," agreed Nessie, considerate of, and a little pleased at, this jealous note. "I thought I might read it too and remember what he said and sorter help you."