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Nessie Belshue. Abner had no such crystal outlook as the girl. He coloured slightly and mumbled forth the village opinion about "illicit love."

Adelaide stared at him in amazement.

"Illicit love!" she cried. "Why, Abner, what earthly difference does that make? Love is love. Licit may be more convenient than illicit, but the divine thing is love. Why, look at my dear, dear father. What a man, what a glorious man! And he was, as people say, an illegitimate!" And Adelaide's eyes shone like altar lamps lighted to the memory of her great lost idol.

When he left her, filled with Adelaide's warmth and courage, Abner set out walking boldly toward the old Coltrane place. As he hurried toward Nessie his heart beat faster and faster. He remembered with a kind of melting pang the curl of a little rose-leaf baby's palm around his thumb. He strode on with a great rapture dawning in his heart as he set his face against the wintry rock-bound hills.