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question； but there was clearly nothing to be done but follow his
example。
〃Good…night； Ruthy！〃 he said； and put out the light。 As he did so；
the glow in the eastern horizon faded； too； and darkness seemed to
well up from the depths below； and； flowing in the open door；
wrapped them in deeper slumber。
CHAPTER II。
THE CLOUDS GATHER。
Twelve months had elapsed since the quarrel and reconciliation；
during which interval no reference was made by either of the
brothers to the cause which had provoked it。 Rand was at work in
the shaft； Ruth having that morning undertaken the replenishment of
the larder with game from the wooded skirt of the mountain。 Rand
had taken advantage of his brother's absence to 〃prospect〃 in the
〃drift；〃a proceeding utterly at variance with his previous
condemnation of all such speculative essay； but Rand； despite his
assumption of a superior practical nature； was not above certain
local superstitions。 Having that morning put on his gray flannel
shirt wrong side out；an abstraction recognized among the miners
as the sure forerunner of divination and treasure…discovery；he
could not forego that opportunity of trying his luck； without
hazarding a dangerous example。 He was also conscious of feeling
〃chipper；〃another local expression for buoyancy of spirit； not
common to men who work fifty feet below the surface； without the
stimulus of air and sunshine； and not to be overlooked as an
important factor in fortunate adventure。 Nevertheless； noon came
without the discovery of any treasure。 He had attacked the walls
on either side of the lateral 〃drift〃 skilfully； so as to expose
their quality without destroying their cohesive integrity； but had
found nothing。 Once or twice； returning to the shaft for rest and
air； its grim silence had seemed to him pervaded with some vague
echo of cheerful holiday voices above。 This set him to thinking of
his brother's equally extravagant fancy of the wailing voices in
the air on the night of the fire； and of his attributing it to a
lover's abstraction。
〃I laid it to his being struck after that gal； and yet；〃 Rand
continued to himself； 〃here's me； who haven't been foolin' round no
gal； and dog my skin if I didn't think I heard one singin' up
thar！〃 He put his foot on the lower round of the ladder； paused；
and slowly ascended a dozen steps。 Here he paused again。 All at
once the whole shaft was filled with the musical vibrations of a
woman's song。 Seizing the rope that hung idly from the windlass；
he half climbed； half swung himself； to the surface。
The voice was there； but the sudden transition to the dazzling
level before him at first blinded his eyes； so that he took in only
by degrees the unwonted spectacle of the singer；a pretty girl；
standing on tiptoe on a bowlder not a dozen yards from him； utterly
absorbed in tying a gayly…striped neckerchief； evidently taken from
her own plump throat； to the halliards of a freshly…cut hickory…
pole newly reared as a flag…staff beside her。 The hickory…pole；
the halliards； the fluttering scarf； the young lady herself； were
all glaring innovations on the familiar landscape； but Rand； with
his hand still on the rope； silently and demurely enjoyed it。
For the better understanding of the general reader； who does not
live on an isolated mountain； it may be observed that the young
lady's position on the rock exhibited some study of POSE； and a
certain exaggeration of attitude； that betrayed the habit of an
audience； also that her voice had an artificial accent that was not
wholly unconscious； even in this lofty solitude。 Yet the very next
moment； when she turned； and caught Rand's eye fixed upon her； she
started naturally； colored slightly； uttered that feminine
adjuration； 〃Good Lord！ gracious！ goodness me！〃 which is seldom
used in reference to its effect upon the hearer； and skipped
instantly from the bowlder to the ground。 Here； however； she
alighted in a POSE； brought the right heel of her neatly…fitting
left boot closely into the hollowed side of her right instep； at
the same moment deftly caught her flying skirt； whipped it around
her ankles； and； slightly raising it behind； permitted the chaste
display of an inch or two of frilled white petticoat。 The most
irreverent critic of the sex will； I think； admit that it has some
movements that are automatic。
〃Hope I didn't disturb ye；〃 said Rand； pointing to the flag…staff。
The young lady slightly turned her head。 〃No；〃 she said； 〃but I
didn't know anybody was here； of course。 Our PARTY〃she
emphasized the word； and accompanied it with a look toward the
further extremity of the plateau； to show she was not alone〃our
party climbed this ridge； and put up this pole as a sign to show
they did it。〃 The ridiculous self…complacency of this record in
the face of a man who was evidently a dweller on the mountain
apparently struck her for the first time。 〃We didn't know；〃 she
stammered； looking at the shaft from which Rand had emerged； 〃that
that〃 She stopped； and； glancing again towards the distant
range where her friends had disappeared； began to edge away。
〃They can't be far off；〃 interposed Rand quietly； as if it were the
most natural thing in the world for the lady to be there。 〃Table
Mountain ain't as big as all that。 Don't you be scared！ So you
thought nobody lived up here？〃
She turned upon him a pair of honest hazel eyes； which not only
contradicted the somewhat meretricious smartness of her dress； but
was utterly inconsistent with the palpable artificial color of her
hair；an obvious imitation of a certain popular fashion then known
in artistic circles as the 〃British Blonde；〃and began to
ostentatiously resume a pair of lemon…colored kid gloves。 Having；
as it were； thus indicated her standing and respectability； and put
an immeasurable distance between herself and her bold interlocutor；
she said impressively； 〃We evidently made a mistake： I will rejoin
our party； who will； of course； apologize。〃
〃What's your hurry？〃 said the imperturbable Rand； disengaging
himself from the rope； and walking towards her。 〃As long as you're
up here； you might stop a spell。〃
〃I have no wish to intrude； that is； our party certainly has not；〃
continued the young lady； pulling the tight gloves； and smoothing
the plump； almost bursting fingers； with an affectation of
fashionable ease。
〃Oh！ I haven't any thing to do just now；〃 said Rand； 〃and it's
about grub time； I reckon。 Yes； I live here； Ruth and me；right
here。〃
The young woman glanced at the shaft。
〃No； not down there；〃 said Rand； following her eye； with a laugh。
〃Come here； and I'll show you。〃
A strong desire to keep up an appearance of genteel reserve； and an
equally strong inclination to enjoy the adventurous company of this
good…looking； hearty young fellow； made her hesitate。 Perhaps she
regretted having undertaken a role of such dignity at the
beginning： she could have been so perfectly natural with this
perfectly natural man； whereas any relaxation now might increase
his familiarity。 And yet she was not without a vague suspicion
that her dignity and her gloves were alike thrown away on him；a
fact made the more evident when Rand stepped to her side； and；
without any apparent consciousness of disrespect or gallantry； laid
his large hand； half persuasively； half fraternally； upon her
shoulder； and said； 〃Oh； come along； do！〃
The simple act either exceeded the limits of her forbearance； or
decided the course of her subsequent behavior。 She instantly
stepped back a single pace； and drew her left foot slowly and
deliberately after her； then she fixed her eyes and uplifted
eyebrows upon the daring hand； and； taking it by the ends of her
thumb and forefinger； lifted it； and dropped it in mid…air。 She
then folded her arms。 It was the indignant gesture with which
〃Alice；〃 the Pride of Dumballin Village； received the loathsome
advances of the bloated aristocrat； Sir Parkyns Parkyn； and had at
Marysville； a few nights before； brought down the house。
This effect was； I think； however； lost upon Rand。 The slight
color that rose to his cheek as he looked down upon his clay…soiled
h