rself. He saw them sitting in the porch
together alone, going out to milk or to the woodpile. Passing her gate
one flower-scented dusk, he heard the drone of their voices behind the
morning-glory vines and heard her laugh quite humanly. He snorted his
disgust, but once when he saw the girl walking home with the teacher
from school he seethed with rage and bided his time for both. He did
spend much time throwing at woodpeckers, ostensibly, but he was not
practising for a rock duel with Allaphair. He had picked out the level
stretch of sandy road not far from Allaphair's house, which was densely
lined with rhododendron and laurel, and was carefully denuding it of
stones. When any one came along he was playing David with the birds;
a moment later he was "a-workin' the public road," but not to make the
going easier for the none too dainty feet of Allaphair. Indeed, the girl
twice saw him at his peculiar diversion, but all suspicion was submerged
in scorn.

The following Sunday things happened. On the way from church the girl had
come to the level stretch of sand. Beyond the vine-clad bluff and "a whoop
and a holler" further on was home. Midway of the stretch Jay Dawn stepped
from the bushes and blocked her way, and with him were his grin and his
threatening eye.

"I'm goin' to kiss ye," he said. Right, left, and behind she looked for
a stone, and he laughed.

"Thar hain't a rock between that poplar back thar and that poplar thar
at the bluff; the woodpeckers done got 'em all." There was no use to
run--the girl knew she was trapped and her breast began to heave. Slowly
he neared her, with one hand outstretched, as though he were going to
halter a wild horse, but she did not give ground. When she slapped at
his hand he caught her by one wrist, and then with lightning quickness
by the other. Quickly she bent her head, caught one of his wrists with
her teeth, and bit it to the bone, so that with an open cry of pain he
threw her loose. Then she came at him with her fists like a man, and she
fought like a man. Blow after blow she rained on him, and one on the
chin made him stagger. He could not hit back, so he closed in, and then
it was cavewoman and caveman. He expected her to bite again and scratch,
but she did neither--nor did she cry for help. She kept on like a man,
and after one blow in his stomach which made him sick she grappled like
a wrestler, which she was, and but for his own quickness would have
thrown him over he