ast, "I've thought of it, just as I've
thought of goin' in the movies and makin' a million dollars. Lots of
good _thinkin'_ does!"

"You've thought of the movies?"

"Yes, once. A girl went from the glass factory. She does extra ladies.
She visited back here last winter. I didn't like what it did to her."

"Oh!" Peter was silent for a while, aware of the pellucid meaning of her
"it." He was learning quite as much from what she didn't say as from
what she did. But he evaded the line of thought suggested.

"You do get tired of Black Rock then?"

"I would if I had time. I'm pretty busy all day, and--see
here--Mr.--er--Nichols. If I asked as many questions as you do, I'd know
as much as Daniel Webster."

"I'm sorry," said Peter, "I beg your pardon."

They walked on in silence for a few moments, Peter puzzling his brain
over the extraordinary creature that chance had thrown in his way. He
could see that she was quite capable of looking out for herself and that
if her smattering of sophistication had opened her eyes, it hadn't much
harmed her.

He really wanted to ask her many more questions, but to tell the truth
he was a little in awe of her dry humor which had a kind of primitive
omniscience and of her laughter which he was now sure was more _at_,
than with, him. But he had, in spite of her, peered for a moment into
the hidden places of her mind and spirit.

It was this intrusion that she resented and he could hardly blame her,
since they had met only eighteen minutes ago. She trotted along beside
him as though quite unaware of the sudden silence or of the thoughts
that might have been passing in his mind. It was Beth who broke the
silence.

"Is your bag heavy?" she asked.

"Not at all," said Peter, mopping the perspiration from his forehead.
"But aren't we nearly there?"

"Oh, yes. It's just a mile or so."

Peter dropped his bag.

"That's what you said it was, back there."

"Did I? Well, maybe it isn't so far as that now. Let me carry your bag a
while."

Thus taunted, he rose, took the bag in his left hand and followed.

"City folks aren't much on doin' for themselves, are they? The taxi
system is very poor down here yet."

Her face was expressionless, but he knew that she was laughing at him.
He knew also that his bag weighed more than any army pack. It seemed too
that she was walking much faster than she had done before--also that
there was malicious humor in the smile she now turned on him.

"S