She lifted her hands to her head in a dazed, ineffectual way. The
moonlight grew faint before her eyes; mountain, sky, and mist
were in-distinguishably blurred; and the girl sank down upon her
trembling knees, down till she lay crouched on the floor with her
tearless face in her arms.
The moon rose high above her and sank down the west. The
shadows shortened and crept back to the woods, night noises grew
fainter, and the mists floated up from the valley and Clung around
the mountain-tops; but she stirred only when a querulous voice
came from within the cabin.
"Easter," it said, " ef Sherd Raines air gone, y'u better come in to
bed. Y'u've got a lot o' work to do to-morrer."
The voice called her to the homely duties that had once filled her
life and must fill it again. It was a summons to begin anew a life
that was dead, and the girl lifted her haggard face in answer and
rose wearily.
VII
ON the following Sunday morning, when Clayton walked up to the
cabin, Easter and her mother were seated in the porch. He called to
them cheerily as he climbed over the fence, but only the mother
answered. Easter rose as he approached, and, without speaking,
went within doors. He thought she must be ill, so thin and drawn
was her face, but her mother said, carelessly:
Oh, hit's only one o' Easter's spells.
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