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When Joan thought how Jiht

became vivid She sat alone under the spruce-trees near the cabin

The shadows thickened, and then lightened under a rising h of soe, and the murmur of the brook Jim was later than usual Very

likely, as her uncle had hinted, Jim had tarried at the saloon that

had lately disrupted the peace of the village The village was

growing, and Joan did not like the change There were tooe store; noas an ordeal Somehow

Jim had seemed to be unfavorably influenced by these new conditions

Still, he had never a she had, was reaching a clier for him, and when she did see him it

would be to tell hiht rustle behind her Before she could

turn someone seized her in powerful arms She was bent backward in a

bearish ele nor cry out A

dark face loomed over hers--came closer Swift kisses closed her

eyes, burned her cheeks, and ended passionately on her lips They

had soered back, frightened, outraged She was so dazed she did

not recognize the h betrayed