Lydia and Alice came over sometimes and whiled away the tedious moments with their bright chatter and merry laughter, their castle-building, and their romancing on heroes and love and marriage as girls always will until the end of time.
They had not forgotten Mr.Clarke, but as Betty had rebuked them with a dignity which forbade any further teasing on that score, they had transferred their fun-making to the use of Mr.Miller's name.
Fearing her brothers' wrath Betty had not told them of the scene with Miller at the dance.

She had learned enough of rough border justice to dread the consequence of such a disclosure.

She permitted Miller to come to the house, although she never saw him alone.
Miller had accepted this favor gratefully.

He said that on the night of the dance he had been a little the worse for Dan Watkins' strong liquor, and that, together with his bitter disappointment, made him act in the mad way which had so grievously offended her.

He exerted himself to win her forgiveness.