the course of her subsequent behavior. She instantly stepped back a
single pace, and drew her left foot slowly and deliberately after her;
then she fixed her eyes and uplifted eyebrows upon the daring hand,
and, taking it by the ends of her thumb and forefinger, lifted it, and
dropped it in mid-air. She then folded her arms. It was the indignant
gesture with which "Alice," the Pride of Dumballin Village, received the
loathsome advances of the bloated aristocrat, Sir Parkyns Parkyn, and
had at Marysville, a few nights before, brought down the house.

This effect was, I think, however, lost upon Rand. The slight color that
rose to his cheek as he looked down upon his clay-soiled hands was due
to the belief that he had really contaminated her outward superfine
person. But his color quickly passed: his frank, boyish smile returned,
as he said, "It'll rub off. Lord, don't mind that! Thar, now--come on!"

The young woman bit her lip. Then nature triumphed; and she laughed,
although a little scornfully. And then Providence assisted her with the
sudden presentation of two figures, a man and woman, slowly climbing up
over the mountain verge, not far from them. With a cry of "There's Sol,
now!" she forgot her dignity and her confusion, and ran towards them.

Rand stood looking after her neat figure, less concerned in the advent
of the strangers than in her sudden caprice. He was not so young and
inexperienced but that he noted certain ambiguities in her dress and
manner: he was by no means impressed by her dignity. But he could not
help watching her as she appeared to be volubly recounting her late
interview to her companions; and, still unconscious of any impropriety
or obtrusiveness, he lounged down lazily towards her. Her humor had
evidently changed; for she turned an honest, pleased face upon him, as
she girlishly attempted to drag the strangers forward.