“You do not love me, Madge, else you would not trifle with my feelings thus,” he said, a little vexed. “No, no, Town.; I will frankly admit that I love you, but can not promise you now to be your wife.” Town. Farnesworth felt a thrill of joy pass through his heart, and his arm stole softly about the slender waist of the maiden. She gently withdrew from his embrace and continued: “Do not let my avowal of love for you, Town., build up new hopes within your breast. I must admit the sin of being ambitious, and I could never give my consent to wed a man whose name was coupled with that of--” “Cowardice!” exclaimed Town. “Exactly, Town.” “Madge!” and the young man’s voice grew stronger, and his eyes flashed indignantly, “then you, too, have given credence to that false report of a cowardly enemy!” “I could not well help it, Town., when so many spoke of it. I may be doing you injustice to put any belief in it, but ambition, as I said before, is my besetting sin. Did you possess the fame of Rollo, the Boy Ranger, then I would not hesitate to become your wife.” “I can not blame you, Madge, for refusing to wed one who bears the name of a coward, but that I am _not_ a coward, I shall prove to you, if I have to wade through fire and blood; and not until I have won a fame equal to that of Red Rollo’s will I press my suit for your hand. All I ask now is that I may live in hope.” “You may, Town.--but look yonder,” she said evasively, “what objects are those on the water just put out from the northern shore?” Town. viewed the objects in question closely. “Ah!” he exclaimed, after a while, his eyes having been upon one thing and his mind another, “it is a flock of ducks--quite three score of them; and how gracefully they move over the surface, their green heads erect, on watch for the least sign of danger.” “How I love to watch them sporting over the smooth surface of the water!” said Madge. “They are so graceful in their movements--so shy and quick.” “I see, Madge, that you are a lover of nature, as well as ambitious--but had we not better return to the place of meeting? I see a large number of the settlers are there.” Madge consented, and together they joined the settlers. They found that the people from each settlement were already arrived, and it wanted but few minutes of the hour for the beginning of service. Town. and Madge seated themselves upon one of the many fallen logs that had been arranged for seats, and entered into conversation with those near them. For a moment the young couple held the gaze of the assembly. Town. was the envy of all the marriageable youths there, while each maiden felt like hiding her own brown, plain face as she gazed upon the fair, lovely features of Talbott Taft’s daughter.