The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1915-12-02
CHAPTER v.
lAslI&

hills of Appalachia even the sun comes
stealing with surreptitlous caution and
yelled face as II fearful OF ambuscade.
When Juanita opened her eyes, to
find the tumbled beds empty save for
herself, she told herself with dismal
heart that day of rain and sodden
skies lay ahead of her.
The dim room reeked with wet
mists, and an inquisltive young roos-
ter stalked jauntily over the puncheon
floor, where his footballs sounded In
tiny clicks. II 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 a 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.
Juanlta crossed the yard. and as she
came near the younger girl raised q
face still glistening with the cold wa
ter into witch It had been plunged aud
glowing with shyness.
The older woman nodded with a
smile that had captivated less simple
subjects than Dawn and said: "Good
morning. | 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 ye 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 voice that car
rled an undertone of defiance:
"Ye haint nuver seen me afore.
an" she broke of. then doggedly.
"an' besides. ] don't know nuthin."
81 mean to see you often after this"
announced the woman from down be-
low, "and 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
back toward the house. When they
were almost at the door Dawn hest.
tated, and Juanita halted with an en-
couraging smile. IL was clear that
the mountain girl found whatever she
meant to say difficult. for she stood
lndecisive and her cheeks were hotly
suffused with color. so that at last
Juanita smilingly prompted: What
is II, dear?"
"Ye said" began Dawn hastily and
awkwardly. "ye said suthin' bout me
a tryin' ter like ye. IL don't halter
try does hit" Then, having made
a confession as difficult to her shy taci-
turnity as a callow boys first declara-
tion 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 sell
dom embrace their children, and that
the kiss is known only to courtship.
was new to her.
At breakfast she did not Sc" 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 Jeb's armpit
bulged the masked shape OF q pistol
d butt
Young Jeb's face yesterday had
q been that OF boy this morning II was
n the sullen face OF man confronting
grim realities. Had Juanita beor
Q more familiar with the contemporary
/. affairs of the community. she might
have known that on many faces alonl
Tribulation that morning brooded tht
A same scowl from the same cause. Th,
Q McBriar yell had been raised las
a night in the heart of the Havey coun
a try, and this morning brought thu
a shame of a land invaded and dishon
q ored.
q Dawn did not reappear until Juaniti
q had mounted and turned her mule
/, head forward. Then, as she was pass
ing the dilapidated barn, the slim. cal
n ico-clad figure slipped from its doc
n and intercepted her In the road. hold
!, ing up a handful OF queer-shape'
roots.
1, 81 lowed ye mought need thes
:. hyar." said the girl difildently.
:, Juanita smiled as she bent In he
saddle TO take the gift
" Thank you, dear; what ara they?
Hits ginseng" Dawn assured heI
- "Hit grows back thar in ther wood
- an hits got a powerful heap OF vii
&c tue. Hit frisks ther speret an drive
~ away torment Ef yer starts te
swoon agin. jest chaw hit"
'e Juanita repressed her amusement.
you see, dear" she declared