Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1915-10-14
CHAPTER v.

hills OF A~ppalachia even the sun comes
stealing with surreptitious caution and
yelled face. as If fearful of ambuscade.
When Juanita opened her eyes, to
find the tumbled beds empty save for
herself. she told herself with q dismal
heart that a day Of rain and sodden
skies lay ahead Of her.
The dim room reeked with wet
mists, and an inquisitive young roos-
ter stalked jauntily over the puncheon
floor. where his footballs sounded in
tiny clicks. 1t was a few minutes
after five o'clock, and Juanita shivered
a little with the clammy chill as she
went over to the door and looked out.
Bending owe a gushing spring at
one corner of the yard in the uncon-
scious grace of perfect n~aturalness.
her sleeves rolled back and her dark
hair tumbling, knelt the girl Dawn.
Juanita crossed the yard, and as she
came near the younger girl raised a
face still g~listening with the cold wa
ter into which it had been plunged and
glowing with shyness.
The older woman nodded with a
smile that had captivated less simple
subjects than Dawn and said: Good
morning. l think you and | are going
to be great friends. | know we are IL
you will try to like me as much as !
do you"
Then the girl from Philadelphia
plunged her face, too, into the cold,
living water, and raised it again, smil-
ing through wet lashes.
What makes We like me?" Dawn
suddenly demanded in a half-challeng-
ing voice.
you make me like you" laughed
Juanita.
The mountain girl held her eyes still
in the unwayering s~teadiness Of her
race, then she said in a voice that car
ried an undertone of defiance:
"Ye hain't nuver seer me afore,
an" she broke off, then doggedly,
IAN besides, | don't know nuthin'."
Il mean to see you often after this"
announced the woman from down be-
low, land the things you don't know
can be learned"
A sudden eagerness anne to the
younger face and a sudden torrent of
questioning seemed to hover or her
lips, but it did not find u~tterance. She
only turned and led the way silently
back toward the house. When they
were almost at the door Dawn hest
tated, and Juanita halted with an en-
%couraging smile. 1t was clear that
the mountain girl found whatever she
meant to say difficult, for she stood
indecisive and her cheeks were holly
suffused with color, SO that at last
Juanita smilingly prompted: What
is it, dear?"
"Ye said" began Dawn hastily and
awkwardly, Eye said suthin' bout me
a tryin' ter like We. III don't halter
try does hit" Then, having made
a confession as difficult to her shy taci'
turnity as a callow boys first declara-
ton of love, she fed abruptly around
the corner Of the house.
Juanita stood looking after her with
a puzzled brow. This hard mountain
reserve which is SO strong that friends
rarely shake hands, that fathers sci,
| dom embrace their children, and that
the kiss is known only to courtship
was new to her.
At breakfast she did not e Dawn
the dryad had vanished!
During the meal no allusion was
made to the happenings Of last night
but the girl noticed that inside the
door leaned the householder's rifle
gun" and under young Jobs armpit
bulged the masked shape Of a pistol
butt.
Young Jobs face yesterday hat
been that of a boy, this morning 1t wal
the sullen face of a man confronting
grim realities. Had Juanita beef
more familiar with the contemporar!
affairs of the community, she nigh
have known that on many faces alonl
Tribulation that morning brooded tn,
same scowl from the same cause. TIL,
McBriar yell had been raised las
night in the heart of the Havey coun
try, and this morning brought tn,
shame of a land invaded and dishon
ored.
Dawn did not reappear until Juaniti
had mounted and turned her mule
head forward. Then, as she was pass
ing the dilapidated barn, the slim, ca
ico-clad figure slipped from its doc
and intercepted her In the road, hold
ing UP a handful of ~queer-shape
roots.
Il lowed ye mought need thes
hyar." said the girl efficiently.
Juanita smiled as she bent In he
saddle to take the gift.
Thank you, dear; what are they?
Hits ginseng" Dawn assured bel
"Hit grows back thar in Their wood
an hits got a powerful heap Of VII
tue. Hit frisks Their speret an drive
away torment. Of yer starts te
swoon agin. Jest chaw hit"
Juanita ~repressed her amusement
"You see. DEAR" she declared
there's n very wonderful thin
you know that | didn't know. An
don't forget, when we meet again W
are old friends"
} Then. when she had mounted he
mule, looking back over her shoulde
: Juanita saw the figures Of both Fletc
J ana Jah croaa the fence nj the IA