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Rh. His eyes seemed very bright and his cheeks were flushed. He evidently took Tom's acquiescence as an indication that the country lad was willing to have fun poked at him.

"I suppose you got lots of letters from the pretty country lasses, enclosing locks of their red hair," sneered Langridge.

"You bet I did," exclaimed Tom, still imitating a farmer's peculiarities, "but I want to tell ye suthin', an' when you come out Northville way, mebby you'll remember it." Then, suddenly becoming serious and with a change in his manner, he added: "I also used to get letters from gentlemen, but I don't believe you could write me one!" There was a snap in his words.

"What—what's that?" cried Langridge, taking a step toward Tom.

"You heard what I said," was the retort.

"That's the time you got yours all right, Langridge," exclaimed Phil Clinton. "You can't tell by the looks of a haystack how far a cow can jump, you know."

Langridge fairly glared at Tom. He seemed to want to make some reply, but the words stuck in his throat.

"I'll—I'll get" he stammered, and then, turning on his heel, he linked his arm in that of Kerr and the two started off down the street.