"What a long time you were, daddy!" she said. "I bet you stayed away just because you knew mother and I wanted to talk to you to-day--own up, daddy!" Bill grinned delightedly, despite his knowledge of the rather grave situation the girl's smiling comment covered. "Well, Millie," he answered, "I'm here now, ain't I? Guess we can have a little talk before them boarders begin to yell for their supper. I kinder wish as you didn't have to cook for 'em, mother--an' Millie waitin' on 'em. 'Tain't fair." Mrs. Jones's lips twitched; the weight of a hard day was on her. "It ain't no use puttin' it off, Bill," she said, wearily. "We got to do somethin'. Mr. Townsend was here this afternoon." "What o' that?" asked Bill. "Well, he's pretty shrewd, you know, an' he's thinkin' about us, Bill. He seen how much of the timber's gone. He knows we sold another strip o' land last month for next to nothin'--" "What's that to him?" Bill queried, rolling another cigarette and apparently completely absorbed in the operation. "He--he's just worried about us, an' it's nice of him, Bill, him knowin' us all these years. He--he thinks as we might move into--into one o' them little cabins down the trail an'--" "Lem Townsend's all right," Bill cut in, lazily, "but we ain't goin' to move, mother. An' it ain't nobody's business, neither--not even Lem Townsend's. I hope you told him that." "Why, Bill!" Mrs. Jones exclaimed, sharply. "I told him no such thing! An' I ain't so sure but what I ain't goin' to take his advice!" Bill looked at her, a hidden smile in his eyes. "It's your property, mother," he said, quietly. Tears sprang into the woman's eyes and she made an impulsive gesture. "You mustn't think that way, Bill!" she cried. "I know you deeded the whole place over to me when we were married--and it was all you had! I wasn't thinkin' o' that--'ceptin' as I always think. You must say _our_ place, Bill. It's yours an' mine an' Millie's. We'll stick together. But we got to do _somethin'_." Bill glanced slyly at the girl, whose brown head was bowed thoughtfully. "What you think, Millie?" he asked. "I don't know what to say," she replied, slowly. "I could go back to San Francisco and work as I did last year. But maybe we could pull through this winter--if only we could get boarders. I don't mind the work, and--and I'd rather stay home here." Bill's eyes suddenly twinkled. "What's the matter?" he chuckled. "John Marvin come back from the city to stay at his cabin?" Millie blushed. "Daddy!" she pouted. Mrs. Jones did not seem any too pleased at her husband's remark. "John Marvin 'ain't got nothin' to do with it!" she exclaimed. "I don't see what he comes foolin' around here for, anyway--Millie 'ain't got _him_ on her mind!" "I should say not!" Millie echoed, though it occurred to Bill that the softness of her brown eyes belied the petulant toss of her head. "Perhaps, after all, it would be best for me to go back to Mr. Thomas's office!"