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his cabin. She found that thought of the place, during the fall and winter
months, had somehow endeared it to her. Long communion with the secret
affection of her heart had brought happiness with resignation. She knew where
she stood; and daily she gathered strength to bear, to serve, to go on, to
find a wonderful good in her ordeal.
The forest had wrought incalculable change in her. It was something she felt
rush over her thrillingly when she approached the green wall of pines and
entered it, as if going into her home. She thought more actively, she worked
better, she developed more under its influence than in the city. This she knew
to be because the old bitter social feud under which her youth had been
oppressed was not present here. Lucy was ashamed of that relief, but she could
never change it.
As she was soon to go to the Claypools to take up her work there, Lucy knew it
might be long before she had the strange, inexplicable joy of dreaming here in
this spot of perfect solitude and wild beauty. So while the children played at
keeping house among the bears and turkeys, she gazed around her and listened
and felt. She was quite at the mercy of unknown forces and she had ceased to
beat and bruise her heart against them, as might have a bird against the bars
of its cage. Above all, there came to her the great, simple fact of a harmony
with this environment. She could not resist it and she ceased to try.
Mr. Jenks arrived at the Johnsons' in the latter part of March and attended
the meeting of the school board. He wanted to turn over the teaching to Clara,
but in case she did not accept the position he would be glad to remain another
summer. Denmeade returned from that board meeting to place a proposition
squarely before Clara. And in his own words it was this: "Reckon we don't want
to change teachers so often. Every schoolmarm we've had just up an' married
one of the boys. Wal, if you will agree to teach two years, whether you get
married or not, we'll shore be glad to let you have the job."
"I give my word," replied Clara, with a firmness Lucy knew was a guerdon that
the promise would be kept.
What struck Lucy markedly on the moment was the fact that Clara did not
disavow any possibility of marriage.
The deal was settled then and there, and later, when the girls had gone to the
seclusion of their tent, Clara evinced a deep emotion.
"Lucy, I'll be independent now," she said. "I can pay my debt...I--I need
money--"
"My dear, you don't owe me any money," interposed Lucy, "if that's what you
mean."
Clara's reply was more evasive than frank, again rousing in Lucy the
recurrence of a surprise and a vague dread. But she dismissed them from her
consciousness.
"We'll have to settle another thing, too," said Lucy. "Once before you hinted
you didn't want to go to Claypool's with me."
"I don't, but I'll go if you insist," rejoined Clara.
"If you will be happier here than with me, by all means stay," replied Lucy in
a hurt tone.
"Don't misunderstand, Lucy, darling," cried Clara, embracing her. "I'm used to
this place--these Denmeades. It's like a sanctuary after--" She broke off
falteringly. "It will be hard enough for me to teach school, let alone live
among strangers...And aren't you coming back here in the fall?"
"I don't know. It depends," answered Lucy dubiously. "Well, it's settled then.
You will live here. I suppose you'll ride horseback to and fro from the
schoolhouse. That would be fine."
"Yes. Joe or Dick will ride with me every day, so I'll never be alone."
Lucy turned away her face and busied herself with papers on her table.
"Clara, have you anything particular you want to tell me?"
"Why--no," came the constrained and low reply. Lucy divined then that there
was something Clara could not tell her, and it revived the old worry.
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Edd Denmeade, alone of all the family, did not take kindly to Lucy's going to
the Claypools. The others, knowing that Clara was to continue to live with
them and that Lucy would probably come back in the fall, were glad to
propitiate their neighbours at so little a loss.
"But, Edd, why do you disapprove?" Lucy demanded, when she waylaid him among
his beehives. She did not want to lose her good influence over him. She wanted
very much more from him than she dared to confess.
"I reckon I've a good many reasons," returned Edd.
"Oh, you have? Well, tell me just one," said Lucy.
"Wal, the Claypools live right on the trail from Sprall's to Cedar Ridge."
"Sprall's!...What of it?" demanded Lucy, nonplussed.
"Bud Sprall rides that trail."
"Suppose he does. How does it concern me?" rejoined Lucy, growing irritated.
"Wal, it concerns you more'n you think. Bud told in Cedar Ridge how he was
layin' for you."
"I don't understand. What did he mean?"
"Lucy, that hombre isn't above ropin' you an' packin' you off over the Rim,
where he holds out with his red-faced cowboy pard."
"Nonsense! The day of the outlaw is past, Edd. I haven't the least fear of Bud
Sprall. Indeed, so little that I intend some day to take up my work with the
Spralls."
Wheeling from his work, he loomed over her, and fastening a brawny hand in her
blouse he drew her close. His eyes flashed a steely fire.
"You're not goin' to do anythin' of the kind," he said, darkly.
"Who'll prevent me?" queried Lucy.
"If you go to Sprall's I'll pack you back if I have to tie you on a hoss."
"You--will?" Lucy's voice broke in her fury.
"Shore you bet I will. Reckon you haven't forgot that dance I made you go to.
I wasn't mad then. Wal, I'm as mad as hell now."
"Why do you presume to interfere with my work?"
"Can you crawl in a hog-pen without gettin' dirty?" he demanded. "I reckon
your work is somethin' fine an' good. I don't begrudge that to Sprall's. But
you can't go there, unless just in daytime, an' then with somebody...You think
I'm jealous. Wal, I'm mot. Ask pa an' ma about this Sprall idea of yours."
"But, Edd, weren't you somewhat like Bud Sprall once? Didn't you tell me I
helped you? Might I not do the same for--"
Edd shoved her away with violence.
"Ahuh! So you want to work the same on Bud?...Wal, the day you make up to him
as you did to me I'll go back to white mule...An' I'll kill him!"
As he stalked away, grim and dark, Lucy shook off a cold clutch of fear and
remorse, and ran after him.
"Edd! You must not talk so--so terribly!" she cried appealingly. "You seem to
accuse me of--of something...Oh that I haven't been fair to you!"
"Wal, have you, now?" he queried, glaring down at her.
"Indeed--I--I think so."
"Aw, you're lyin'. Maybe you're as deep as your sister. Shore I'd never deny
you'd been an angel to my family. But you worked different on me. I was only a
wild-bee hunter. You made me see what I was--made me hate my ignorance an'
habits. You let me be with you, many an' many a time. You talked for hours an'
read to me, an' worked with me, all the time with your sweet, sly girl ways.
An' I changed. I don't know how I changed, but it's so. You're like the queen
of the bees...All you told me love meant I've come to know. I'd do any an' all
of those things you once said love meant...But if you work the same on Bud
Sprall you'll be worse than Sadie Purdue. She had sweet, purry cat ways, an'
she liked to be smoothed. That was shore where Sadie didn't cheat."
"Cheat!...Edd Denmeade, do you mean--you think I made you love me--just to
save you from your drinking, fighting habits?" queried Lucy, very low.
"No. I reckon I don't mean that. You just used your--yourself. Your smiles an'
sweet laugh--your talk--your pretty white dresses--your hands--lettin' me see
you--lettin' me be with you--keepin' me from other girls--workin' on me with
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yourself...Now didn't you? Be honest."
"Yes. You make me see it. I did," confessed Lucy bravely. "I'm not sorry--for
I--I--"
"Wal, you needn't figure me wrong," he interrupted. "I'm not sorry, either.
Reckon for my family's sake I'm glad. Shore I have no hopes of ever bein'
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