Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-11-11
CHAPTER v.

In the lowlands morning announces
itself with the rosy glow of dawn and
upfung shafts Of light. but here in the
hills of Appalachia even the sun comes
stealing with surreptitious caution and
yelled face, as if fearful of ambuscade.
When Juanita opened her eyes, to
f1nd the tumbled beds empty save for
herself. she told herself with a 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 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 over gushing spring at
one corner of the yard in the uncon-
scious grace Of perfect naturalness,
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 glistening with the cold wa
ter into which it had been plunged and
| glowing with shyness.
The older woman nodded with a
smile that had captiyated less simple
! subjects than Dawn and said: Good
morning. l think you and l are going
| to be great friends. know we are if
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 half-challeng-
ing voice.
You make me like you" laughed
Juanita
The mountain girl held her eyes still
in the unwavering steadiness of her
race, then she said in a voice that car
ried an undertone of defiance:
'Ye hain't nuver seen me afore,
an" she broke off, then doggedly,
'an' 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 came to the
| younger face and sudden torrent of
| questioning seemed to hover on her
| lips, but it did not find utterance. She
only turned and led the way silently
| haalY toward no
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 'hotly
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
tryin' ter like we. II don't halter
try does hit" Then, having made
confession as difficult to her shy tact
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
| puzzled brow. This hard mountain
reserve which is so strong that friends
rarely shake hands, that fathers sell
| dom embrace their children, and that
the kiss is known only to courtship,
was new to her.
At breakfast she did not see 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 householders rifle.
gun" and under young jobs armpit
| bulged the masked shape of a pistol.
| butt.
Young jobs face yesterday had
been that of boy, this morning it was
the sullen face of a man confronting
grim realities. Had Juanita been
more familiar with the contemporary
affairs of the community, she might
have known that on many faces along
| Tribulation that morning brooded the
same scowl from the same cause. The
McBriar yell had been raised last
/ hight III LllC uCC1 L VI I1lC IIdfSy COuD-
try, and this morning brought the
shame of a land invaded and dishon-
| ored.
Dawn did not reappear until Juanita
| had mounted and turned her mules
| head forward. Then, as she was pass
ing the dilapidated barn, the slim, cal
ico-clad figure slipped from its door
and intercepted her in the road, hold
ing up a handful of queer-shaped
roots
Il lowed ye mought need these
hyar," said the girl efficiently.
Juanita smiled as she bent in her
saddle to take the gift.
Thank you, dear; what are they?"
Hits ginseng" Dawn assured her.
''Hit grows back thar in Their woods
an hits got a powerful heap of vir-
tue Hit frisks Their speret an drives
away torment. Eff yer starts ter
swoon agin, jest chaw hit"
Juanita repressed her amusement.
| "You see, dear" she declared,
there's one very wonderful thing
you know that l didn't know. And
don't forget, when we meet again we
are old friends"
Then, when she had mounted her
mule, looking back over her shoulder,
Juanita saw the figures Of both Fletch
and Jeb cross the fence at the far
side of the yard and turn into the
mountain thicket. Each carried a
rife Graded in his bent elbow.
CTO BE CONTINUED.)
H,ppihaI Hod