"Because," said she, and laughed. "I reckon maybe that th' water's
started to warm up down in the pool, ain't it?" she cried, and laughed
again.

"Oh!" said he, a bit abashed, and evidently understanding.

They did not pursue the subject.

"What you got there?" he inquired, a few moments later, as they were
approaching the old pasture. He pointed to a package carefully wrapped
in a clean apron, which she hugged beneath her arm.

"Spellin' book," said Madge, as, just before the bars she slid down from
her perch upon the ox. "I'm learnin'."

His lip curled with the mountaineer's contempt for books and all they
have to teach.

"What you want to _learn_ for?"

He had gently shouldered her aside as she had stooped to raise the bars
back to position, and, with a certain crude gallantry, had done the task
himself.

"Bleeged," she said briefly, and then, standing with one brown and
rounded arm upon the topmost rail, paused in consideration of an answer
to his question.

The ox stopped, dully, close within the closed gap in the rough fence.