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his head. Laughing shrilly Clara ran into the shed among the wagons, and the farm hand pursued her. John May was a very determined man. He was the son of a laborer in Bidwell and for two or three years had been employed about the stable of a doctor. Something had happened between him and the doctor's wife and he had left the place because he had a notion that the doctor was becoming suspicious. The experi- ence had taught him the value of boldness in dealing with women. Ever since he had come to work on the Butterworth farm, he had been having thoughts re- garding the girl who had now, he imagined, given him a direct challenge. He was a little amazed by her boldness but did not stop to ask himself questions. She had openly invited him to pursue her. That was enough. His accustomed awkwardness and clumsiness went away and he leaped lightly over the extended tongues of wagons and buggies. He caught Clara in a dark corner of the shed. Without a word he took her tightly into his arms and kissed her, first upon the neck and then on the mouth. She lay trembling and weak in his arms and he took hold of the collar of her dress and tore it open. Her brown neck and one of her hard, round breasts were exposed. Clara's eyes grew big with fright. Strength came back into her body. With her sharp hard little fist she struck John May in the face; and when he stepped back she ran quickly out of the shed. John May did not under- stand. He thought she had sought him out once and would return. " She's a little green. I was too fast. I scared her. Next time I'll go a little easy," he thought. Clara ran through the barn and then walked slowly