The girl felt no fears for herself regarding the future--she was energetic and had been familiar with work all her life; it held no terrors for her; she could hire out--wash, cook, sew--perhaps some day marry the man of her choice when he should be in a position to take unto himself a wife; but, with her mother's welfare also to be considered, the matter grew far more complex. "Don't you see just how matters stand?" asked the Squire, persuasively, almost tenderly, breaking the long silence. Sally gravely nodded her head. "I see," she answered, in a low tone. CHAPTER IV. It was close upon 10 o'clock at night--a late hour for a lonely traveler in this remote locality amid the hills--and Milton Derr was homeward bound. As he neared the vicinity of Alder Creek meeting-house, up in the hill country, another horseman came out of a lane into the public road just as he was passing. Hailing a fellow voyager, as was the custom of the neighborhood, Derr recognized an acquaintance and promptly checked his horse until the other came alongside. "Hello, Steve! Isn't it a little late for an honest man to be abroad?" Milton asked, after friendly greeting from his companion. "Well, yes, and it seems I'm not the only one in that plight," retorted the other, with the quick repartee belonging to these people. His companion laughed good-naturedly at the thrust, and the two rode on together for some little distance, when Milton Derr, suddenly changing the drift of the talk said: "Well, I've been thinking over that matter we were speaking about the other day." "To what purpose?" asked the other. "I'm in half a notion to become a member of the band." "The other half's needed before you can get in, you know," answered Steve, laconically. "Well, I'm nearing that point now," admitted Derr, after a thoughtful pause. "I think I should like to have some voice in this question of free roads myself, as it promises to be an important one." "In that case I can easily arrange it for you. There'll be but few men around here who won't belong to the band before toll-gate raiding is over," said the other, impressively. "Folks have been bled by fat corporations long enough." "When could I join?" asked Derr, after some moments of meditative silence. "When?" echoed his companion. "Tonight, if your mind's made up." "Well, then, it is," said Derr, decisively. "How am I to go about it?" "Just follow me. If you really mean business, I can take you straight to where the band is holding a meeting this very night." "All right," answered the prospective candidate. "Lead the way!" The two turned into a dirt lane beyond the meeting-house, Derr keeping close by the side of his guide, while the hoofbeats of the two horses suddenly grew muffled by the softer bed of the lane in exchange for the macadamized pike.