McGregor. An embarrassed silence fell over the party. Both Beaut and
the fat boy were disconcerted by this turn to their afternoon's outing
and wondered how it would turn out.

The pale woman began to talk in a low tone. "I want to get away from
here," she said, "I wish I could hear birds sing and see green things
grow."

Beaut McGregor had an idea. "You come with me," he said. He got up and
climbed over the logs and the pale woman followed. The fat boy shouted
at them, relieving his own embarrassment by trying to embarrass them.
"Where're you going--you two?" he shouted.

Beaut said nothing. He stepped over the logs to the road and began
climbing the hill. The tall woman walked beside him and held her
skirts out of the deep dust of the road. Even on this her Sunday gown
there was a faint black mark along the seams--the mark of Coal Creek.

As McGregor walked his embarrassment left him. He thought it fine that
he should be thus alone with a woman. When she had tired from the
climb he sat with her on a log beside the road and talked of the
black-haired boy. "He has your ring on his finger," he said, looking
at her and laughing.

She held her hand pressed tightly against her side and closed her
eyes. "The climbing hurts me," she said.

Tenderness took hold of Beaut. When they went on again he walked
behind her, his hand upon her back pushing her up the hill. The desire
to tease her about the black-haired boy had passed and he wished he