be friendly with the mountaineer, but his advances were received
with a reserve that was almost suspicion. As time went on, the
mountaineer's visits increased in frequency and in length, and at
last one night he stayed so long that, for the first time, Clayton left
him there.

Neither spoke after the young engineer was gone. The
mountaineer sat looking closely at Easter, who was listlessly
watching the moon as it rose above the Cumberland Range and
brought into view the wavering outline of Pine Mountain and the
shadowed valley below. It was evident from his face and his eyes,
which glowed with the suppressed fire of some powerful emotion
within, that he had remained for a purpose; and when he rose and
said, "I reckon I better be a-goin', Easter," his voice was so
unnatural that the girl looked up quickly.


Hit air late," she said, after a slight pause.

His face flushed, but he set his lips and caught the back of his
chair, as though to steady himself.

"I reckon," he said, with slow bitterness, "that hit would 'a' been
early long as the furriner was hyeh."

The girl was roused instantly, but she said nothing, and he
continued, in a determined tone:

"Easter, thar's a good deal I've wanted to say to ye fer a long time,
but I hev kept a-puttin' hit off until I'm afeard maybe hit air too