"Nonsense, Rita, you surprise me. Nothing can come between us." "I fear others have thought the same way. Perhaps Billy Little and his sweetheart"--she was almost ready for tears. "Yes, but what can come between us? Your parents, I hope, won't object. Mine won't, and we don't--do we?" said Dic, argumentatively. "Ah," answered Rita with her lips, but her eyes, whose language Dic was beginning to comprehend, said a great deal more than can be expressed in mere words. "Then what save death can separate us?" asked Dic. "We would offend Billy Little by returning the ring, and it looks pretty on your finger. Don't you like it, Rita?" "Y-e-s," she responded, her head bent doubtingly to one side, as she glanced down at the ring. "You don't feel superstitious about it, do you?" he asked. "N-o-o." "Then we'll keep it, won't we?" "Y-e-s." He drew the girl toward him and she turned her face upward. He would have kissed her had he not been startled by a call from the opposite side of the river. "Here, here, stop that. That'll never do. Too fine-haired and modest for a kissing game, but mighty willin' when all alone. We'll come over and get into the game ourselves." Dic and Rita looked up quickly and saw the huge figure of Doug Hill standing on the opposite bank with a gun over his shoulder and a bottle of whiskey in his uplifted hand. By his side was his henchman, Patsy Clark. The situation was a trying one for Dic. He could not fight the ruffian in Rita's presence, and he had no right to tell him to move on. So he paid no attention to Doug's hail, and in a moment that worthy Nimrod passed up the river. Dic and Rita were greatly frightened, and when Doug passed out of sight into the forest they started home. They soon reached the path and were walking slowly down toward Bays's, when they were again startled by the disagreeable voice of the Douglas. This time the voice came from immediately back of them, and Dic placed himself behind Rita. "I've come to get my kiss," said Doug, laughing boisterously. He was what he called "full"; not drunk, but "comfortable," which meant uncomfortable for those who happened to be near him. "I've come for my kiss," he cried again. [Illustration: "'I'VE COME TO GET MY KISS,' SAID DOUG."] "You'll not get it," answered Rita, who was brave when Dic was between her and her foe. Dic, wishing to avoid trouble, simply said, "I guess not."