stifling. The scorn of her face, as he remembered it that morning,
hurt him again while he looked at her. A spirit of contempt was
still in her eyes, and quivering about her thin lips and nostrils. She
had put him beneath further notice, and yet every toss of her head,
every movement of her hands, seemed meant for him, to irritate
him. And once, while she combed her hair, his brain whirled with
an impulse to catch the shining stuff in one hand and to pinion
both her wrists with the other, Just to show her that he was master,
and still would harm her not at all. But he shut his teeth, and
watched her. Among mountain women the girl was more than
pretty; elsewhere only her hair, perhaps, would have caught the
casual eye. She wore red homespun and coarse shoes; her hands
were brown and hardened. Her arms and shoulders looked
muscular, her waist was rather large-being as nature meant it-and
her face in repose had a heavy look. But the poise of her head
suggested native pride and dignity; her eyes were deep, and full of
changing lights; the scarlet dress, loose as it was, showed rich
curves in her figure, and her movements had a certain childlike
grace. Her brow was low, and her mouth had character; the chin
was firm, the upper lip short, and the teeth were even and white.

"I reckon thar's enough to fill the sack, Isom," said the old miller,
breaking the strained silence of the group. The girl rose and
handed him a few pieces of silver.

I reckon I'd better pay fer it all," she said. I s'pose I won't be over
hyeh ag'in."

Old Gabe gave some of the coins back.