"There's only one Verlinda Talbot, isn't there? Unless someone has borrowed your very pretty and unusual name. Look at this." He thrust his hand into his coat pocket and drew forth a paper, opened the sheet and pointed out the following: THE MARCHING PINES Up from the hill-slope and over the ridge An army is coming of marching pines. The cloud-shadows lurking, lie low on the bridge Wrought out by the moonbeams in delicate lines. They march from the meadow land over the snow With bayonets pointed, a solid phalanx, Save where, on their outlying edges, they show A few timid stragglers who've broken the ranks. And down in the field, set in orderly rows Are wigwams, one sees by the light of the moon. Hark! Hark! Does a war-whoop discover the foes? From out of the marsh comes the laugh of a loon. Verlinda Talbot. "Here, let me take your things," said the young man gently as he perceived by her shaking hands and changing color that she was agitated. He watched her read the lines through and as she raised sweet questioning eyes, he bit his lip and drew in his breath quickly and sharply. "I like it, Linda," he said as she folded the paper and handed it back to him. "How did you manage to do it? I am as proud as can be of you." "Are you really, Berk? That is very nice of you. To think you saw it before I did. Why I didn't even know they were going to print it." "You didn't? Then I'm the discoverer. I'm proud of that, too. Very likely you will find a copy of the paper in your mail. Are they paying you well for it?" "Oh, no, I don't think they pay at all. I don't expect that. I am paid sufficiently by seeing it in print this time. Perhaps--some day--if I keep on--" "You will be a great writer." "Oh, never that, but I may be able to write something worth while. I long to." "And give up teaching? You don't like teaching." "I don't believe I do very much." "Yet I hear good accounts of you." "Really, Berk?" "Certainly I do. Mr. Willis told me you were very satisfactory, and had broken in your class so they trotted along without a break." "I think we do get along better," Linda acknowledged a little dubiously, "and I believe the small boys do begin to like me more than they did, at least some of them do." "All of them will in time, I am sure." "You're a nice encouraging friend, Berk. Is this where we part?" "Yes, I have an appointment with Judge Morris this morning. Good-by. Tell Miss Ri I'll be around soon." He gave the budget into her hands, raised his hat and entered the little one-storied building at the side of whose door were signs denoting the calling of those whose offices were within, lawyers all, two judges among them.