"You?" He raised himself on his elbow, looking at her with sudden
interest. "You're from the Mountain? How curious! I suppose that's why
you're so different...."

Her happy blood bathed her to the forehead. He was praising her--and
praising her because she came from the Mountain!

"Am I... different?" she triumphed, with affected wonder.

"Oh, awfully!" He picked up her hand and laid a kiss on the sunburnt
knuckles.

"Come," he said, "let's be off." He stood up and shook the grass from
his loose grey clothes. "What a good day! Where are you going to take me
tomorrow?"




VI


That evening after supper Charity sat alone in the kitchen and listened
to Mr. Royall and young Harney talking in the porch.

She had remained indoors after the table had been cleared and old Verena
had hobbled up to bed. The kitchen window was open, and Charity seated
herself near it, her idle hands on her knee. The evening was cool and
still. Beyond the black hills an amber west passed into pale green,