"Then I'll come down to your legislature and we'll make it into a law, and the punishment shall be, if they don't make up and allow their folks to be comfortable and friends, they must have their old heads bumped together--bumped harder and harder till they shake hands and make up and live happy ever after. Old folks haven't any business to stay mad. They won't get into heaven if they do." She withdrew her hand, and went away into the black mouth of the bridge. "That's all, Big Boy!" she cried. "It was some business, you see, that I waited to talk over with you. And a grown-up young lady mustn't stay after her business is finished." "But I'll walk home with you!" he called. "No, I'll not be frightened at the dark until I get old enough to be called an old maid," she said, mischievously. "Good-night!" He waited by the side of the river until he saw her white figure safely through the dark bridge, and on its way up the quiet hillside past the church. Then he rode to "The Barracks," his mind dwelling a bit more particularly on the vagaries of womankind than it ever had before. He joined his grandfather on the porch after he had eaten his supper alone. "The fences, so I hear, Harlan, will pass the inspection of the most expert fence-viewers," he chuckled. "So I suppose you'll be ready to leave with me to-morrow." "If you think it's necessary to have me go anywhere with you, grandfather, I'll go." There was silence for a time. The young man was waiting. The old man smoked placidly. "Is there any reason why you can't tell me where we are going?" inquired Harlan. "No especial reason--only I'll be wasting time telling you. You'll see for yourself. We'll meet a big man or so--that's all!" "The man I'd like to meet," began the young man, fervently, "is one that every young chap in this country can follow and ought to follow, if he's got red blood and honesty in him. I wish I could meet him now when I'm starting out, if only to shake his hand." "You'd better not meet any man so long as he's wearing a halo, where you're concerned. You'll find political halos, bub, when you get too near to 'em, something like restaurant doughnuts--holes surrounded by poor cooking. Better keep away a spell. That's why I'm not going to tell you where we're going--not just now. I might go to cracking up the man too much. I'll let you build your own halo for him--and then maybe you can eat your own cooking, provided you find the halo a doughnut."