He watched her out of sight in a swirl of gay skirts, her blue and golden head bobbing with her dancing steps; then he glanced over his shoulder at his poor new house, with its fireless chimneys.

If all had gone well, he and Charlotte would have been married by this time, and she would have been bestirring herself to get supper for him--perhaps running home from a neighbor's with her sewing as this other woman was doing.

All the sweet domestic comfort which he had missed seemed suddenly to toss above his eyes like the one desired fruit of his whole life; its wonderful unknown flavor tantalized his soul.

All at once he thought how Charlotte would prepare supper for another man, and the thought seemed to tear his heart like a panther.

"He sha'n't have her!" he cried out, quite loudly and fiercely.