"
It was dancing. The young mountaineer was a slender, active
fellow, not without grace, and Easter seemed hardly to touch the
floor. They began very slowly at first, till Easter, glancing aside at
Clayton and seeing his face deepen with interest, and urged by the
remonstrance of het father, the remarks of the onlookers, and the
increasing abandon of the music, gave herself up to the dance. The
young mountaineer was no mean partner. Forward and back they
glided, their swift feet beating every note of the music; Faster
receding before her partner, and now advancing toward him, now
whirling away with a disdainful toss of her head and arms, and
now giving him her hand and whirling till her white skirts floated
from the floor. At last, with head bent coquettishly toward her
partner, she danced around him, and when it seemed that she
would be caught by his outstretched hands she slipped from his
clasp, and, with burning cheeks, flashing eyes, and bridal wreath
showering its pink-flecked petals about her, flew to Clayton's side.
Mebbe ye don't like that," cried Hicks, turning to Raines, who had
been gravely watching the scene.
Raines said nothing in reply, but only looked the drunken man in
the face.
"You two," he continued, indicating Clayton with an angry shake
of his head, " air a-tryin' to spile ever'body's fun.
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