The Washington times., 1913-01-13
CHAPTER VII.
The Cry of the Corn-Crake.


consequence to Mariposa, eS-
pecially as in womannood she
thought that Don John was a legend
and Black Archibald no more deserv-
ing of the title ogre than any other
an with a suitably crusty nature.
Even were IL not at all a legend, what
Was Don john to her and Mistress
Mary? So that when she learned that
young Jamie was Black Archibalds s
son the knowledge seemed rather to en-
!, Eance the interesting youth, and the
young laird's interest, which being soon
apparent, was not displeasing to Mari
posa, / could see.
What l could not see 1 supposed and
felt. Those were the first of my Bit
ter days. Your great hulking Rorie
was suddenly become a man in more
than mere strength and stature, and
Mariposas eyes were opened to her
| own power. The first blush Of tender
ness and wonder gave place, it was
| easy to see, to a growing apprecis-
! ton OF her own beauty and the other
gifts of womanhood.
Both of us felt the difference in each,
and between each, in those days. No
| Kilellan farm. The trips to the woods
ceased and the two Of us drove the
| cows only because we hardly realized,
| after SO long, that one could do it just
| as well.
| 1 found manual labor in the fields a
relief to my idle thoughts. The way
Mariposa cluEg to my mother and
helped her in the house convinced me
that she, too, felt the awkwardness
! which had suddenly FALLEN upon our
me when we were thrown together, and
| even wnen nv mother was present 1
| could see that Il was as difficult for
| Mariposa to look straight into my eyes
| az for me 10 meet her gaze.
1t was as If We were strangers to each
other. On meeting her after working
! in the fields l would be painfully con-
! scious of my soiled hands and muddy
| kilt. In these days she began to take
pains with her appearance, although L
| liked her best when she had that reck-
1 less hair and the plaid tossed with wild
grace across her bosom. Now she must
4 set il gracefully, without the wildness,
and her hair must be done in way
that made her BONNER, but gave her
more trouble when she was working in
the dairy.
The laughter, too, was gone from
her lips and eyes, but the softness in
its place did not make her look less
happy-only in different way She
used to steal away in the afternoon and
/ 1 am sure she spent much of her time
alone in the woods. When l asked her
! il she had been to the cave she would
droop her eyes and the blood would
food her face and neck. 1t hurt me
much that there was anything she
might do which 1 might not speak
about.
1 did mot repeat to myself that loved
Mariposa. The meaning of love had re-
| vealed itself to me; and only once had
told myself that she was the only
woman j ever would love. / looked
back through the years and knew that
l had always loved her that way, but
until then the waters In the dam had
been unloosened and the mill had slept.
The same instructive awakening opened
my eyes to something more. Martposa
loved, too. But the rasping cry of the
corn-crake was in my heart.
Young Jamie often came to the farm
horses and crops He had little speech
with Mariposa. for at his appearance
she fed In seeming confusion. But
with the curiosity of the timid rose,
she would come back on some pre-,
tense In my bitterness / noticed
how young Jamie's talk wandered and
how his eyes would look over my
shoulder.
/ could have killed the man at times,
for 1t was the way of him to examine
the girl closely before he committed
himself, as if 1t was merely matter
of his decision whether he should take
possession OF Mariposa or not Wren
he saw that he was pleasing ne spoke
his suit He may have loved her, bui
not as 1 loved her. His tongue was
not tied; neither did he want for fine
words.
Mariposa liked it. Even my mother
saw that She laid her hand on my head
/ one evening as / sat brooding by the
! fire, for Mariposa had taken to going
often TO Daft Leezie's. i had seer
young Jamie meet her accidentally, II
? would seem, but far from II in truth
My mother said nothing. but just lei
, her hand rest on my head for moment
, and looked with me into the fire. And
1 knew that she, too, understood.
! Then the meetings became deliberate
! and at thai came TO my senses. de-
termined that should not let him win
her without resistance on my part
. When my work was over, or when
had none TO do, ! would swallow my
: pride and court Mariposa. l picked
: roses and brought them to her; helped
her with the milk pals, and one day
, took her in my arms and carried her
! across the burn, for she was wearing
, shoes and stockings.
: My little attentions seemed to please
her, but one that did not, showed me
clearly that all the others merely
: served to fan her vanity. She was
much displeased one evening when l es
/ corted her TO Daft Leezie's. The silence
] that fell when We met young Jamie
r taught me why.
had dressed myself a bit bravei
2 that night, and was not ashamed tt
/ walk with her But when j saw young
Jamie in his fine boots and ruffles my
[ heart sickened. / stubbornly stuck tC
MaripoSa, until ne was 1orced 10 Die
us a polite good-even, but with a saw
age glare at me. The moment he wa.
gone Mariposa deliberately picked g
/ quarrel with me. / returned to tn.
farm, dismissed, defeated, and despair
! ing.
E left her alone after that, and
! suppose she must have seen my un
happiness, for ! could not down II
2 Anyhow, about a week later, as ] wa.
; bending over my work in the farm
yard, / heard her voice at my elbow.
[ "Rorie"
II was the first word she had spokeI
TO me since that night. / looked VI
I and my heart yearned to her, for ther,
were big tears in her eyes
; "Rorie. are you vexed with me?'
l mo, Mariposa, no." ! faltered.
, lin very sorry. Rorie." And sh'
!. held out a trembling hand.
ro.,t,..to- .S Tht- s,o- xxyt.