Clayton's hand warmly, and without a trace of self-consciousness.
The room had grown instantly quiet, and Raines began to share the
curious interest that Clayton had caused; for the young
mountaineer's sermon had provoked discussion far and wide, and,
moreover, the peculiar relations of the two toward Easter were
known and rudely appreciated. Hicks was subdued into quiet
respect, and tried to conceal his incipient intoxication. The effort
did not last long. When the two fiddlers came, he led them in with
a defiant air, and placed them in the corner, bustling about
officiously but without looking at Raines, whose face began to
cloud.

Well, we're all hyar, I reckon! " he exclaimed, in his terrible voice.
"Is Easter ready? " he shouted up the steps.

A confused chorus answered him affirmatively, and he
immediately arranged Clayton in one corner of the room with his
serious attendants on one side, and Raines, grave to solemnity, on
the other. Easter's mother and her assistants came in from the
kitchen, and the doors were filled with faces. Above, the tramping
of feet became more hurried; below, all stood with expectant faces
turned to the rude staircase. Clayton's heart began to throb, and a
strange light brightened under Raines's heavy brows.

"Hurry up, thar!" shouted Hicks, impatiently.

A moment later two pairs of rough shoes came down the steps, and
after them two slippered feet that fixed every eye in the room, until
the figure and face above them slowly descended into the light.
Midway the girl paused with a timid air. Had an angel been