She's been sort o' puny 'n'
triflin' o' late, but I reckon she'll be all right ag'in in a day or two."
As the girl did not appear again, Clayton concluded that she was
lying down, and went away without seeing her. Her manner had
seemed a little odd, but, attributing that to ill-ness, he thought
nothing further about it. To his surprise, the incident was repeated,
and thereafter, to his wonder, the girl seemed to avoid him. Their
intimacy was broken sharply off. When Clayton was at the cabin,
either she did not appear or else kept herself busied with
household duties. Their studies ceased abruptly. Easter had
thrown her books into a corner, her mother said, and did nothing
but mope all day; and though she insisted that it was only one of
the girl's " spells," it was plain that something was wrong. Easter's
face remained thin and drawn, and acquired gradually a hard,
dogged, almost sullen look. She spoke to Clayton rarely, and then
only in monosyllables. She never looked him in the face, and if his
gaze rested intently on her, as she sat with eyes downcast and
hands folded, she seemed to know it at once. Her face would color
faintly, her hands fold and unfold nervously, and sometimes she
would rise and go within. He had no opportunity of speaking with
her alone. She seemed to guard against that, and, indeed, Raines's
presence almost prevented it, for the mountaineer was there
always, and always now the last to leave.
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