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of the sun。 He was still ignorant of who had spoken to him。
〃I beg your pardon； IWHY； Miss Grant！〃 The words burst from his lips as if they had been fired from a gun。 〃You here！〃
〃Yes； I live only twenty miles away； and I come here every year。 Where are you staying？〃
〃At Pollard's。〃
〃Why； that's the next clearing from mine。 I'm at old Mrs。 Taft's。 Oh； please don't leave your luncheon。〃
Oliver had bounded up the bank to a place beside her。
〃How good it is to find you here。 I am so glad。〃 He WAS glad； he meant every word of it。 〃Mrs。 Mulligan said you lived up in the woods； but I had no idea it was in these mountains。 Have you had your luncheon？〃
〃No； not yet；〃 and Margaret held up a basket。 〃Look！〃 and she raised the lid。 〃Elderberry pie； two pieces of cake〃
〃Good！ and I have three doughnuts and an apple。 I swallowed every grain of my hot corn like a greedy Jack Horner； or you should have half of it。 Come down under the bridge； it's so cool there；〃 and he caught her hand to help her down the bank。
She followed him willingly。 She had seen him greet Fred； and Jack Bedford； and even the gentle Professor with just such outbursts of affection； and she knew there was nothing especially personal to her in it all。 It was only his way of saying he was glad to see her。
Oliver laid the basket and tin can on a flat stone that the spring freshets had scoured clean； spread his brown corduroy jacket on the pebbly beach beside it； and with a laugh and the mock gesture of a courtier； conducted her to the head of his improvised table。 Margaret laughed and returned the bow； stepping backward with the sweep of a great lady； and settled herself beside him。 In a moment she was on her knees bending over the brook； her hands in the water； the tam…o'…shanter beside her。 She must wash her hands； she said〃there was a whole lot of chrome yellow on her fingers〃and she held them up with a laugh for Oliver's inspection。 Oliver watched her while she dried and bathed her shapely hands； smoothed the hair from her temples and tightened the coil at the back of her head which held all this flood of gold in check； then he threw himself down beside her； waiting until she should serve the feast。
As he told her of his trip up the valley and the effect it made upon him； and how he had never dreamed of anything so beautiful； and how good the Pollards were； and what he had painted and what he expected to paint； talking all the time with his thumb circling about as if it was a bit of charcoal and the air it swept through but a sheet of Whatman's best； her critical eye roamed over his figure and costume。 She had caught in her first swift； comprehensive glance from over the bridge…rail； the loose jacket and broad…brimmed planter's hat； around which； with his love of color； Oliver had twisted a spray of nasturtium blossoms and leaves culled from the garden… patch that morning； but now that he was closer； she saw the color in his cheeks and noticed； with a suppressed smile； the slight mustache curling at the ends； a new feature since the school had closed。 She followed too the curves of the broad chest and the muscles outlined through his shirt。 She had never thought him so strong and graceful； nor so handsome。 （The smile came to the surface nowan approving； admiring smile。） It was the mountain…climbing； no doubt； she said to herself； and the open…air life that had wrought the change。
With a laugh and toss of her head she unpacked her own basket and laid her contribution to the feast on the flat rockthe pie on a green dock…leaf； which she reached over and pulled from the water's edge； and the cake on the pink napkinthe only sign of city luxury in her outlay。 Oliver's eye meanwhile wandered over her figure and costumea costume he had never seen before on any living woman； certainly not any woman around Kennedy Square。 The cloth skirt came to her ankles； which were covered with yarn stockings； and her feet were encased in shoes that gave him the shivers； the soles being as thick as his own and the leather as tough。 （Sue Clayton would have died with laughter had she seen those shoes。） Her blouse was of gray flannel； belted to the waist by a cotton saddle…girthwhite and red and as broad as her hand。 The tam…o'…shanter was coarse and rough； evidently home…made； and not at all like McFudd's； which was as soft as the back of a kitten and without a seam。
Then his eyes sought her face。 He noticed how brown she wasand how ruddy and healthy。 How red the lipsred as mountain…berries； and back of them big white teethwhite as peeled almonds。 He caught the line of the shoulders and the round of the full arm and tapering wrist； and the small； well… shaped hand。 〃Queer clothes；〃 he said to himself 〃but the girl inside is all right。〃
Sitting under the shadow of the old bridge on the main highway； each weighed and balanced the other； even as they talked aloud of the Academy School； and the pupils； and the dear old Professor whom they both loved。 They discussed the prospect of its doors being opened the next winter。 They talked of Mrs。 Mulligan； and the old Italian who sold peanuts； and whose head Margaret had painted； and of Jack Bedford and Fred Stonethe dearest fellow in the worldand last year's picturesespecially Church's 〃Niagara；〃 the sensation of the year； and Whittredge's 〃Mountain Brook；〃 and every other subject their two busy brains could rake and scrape up except and this subject； strange to say； was the only one really engrossing their two mindsthe overturning of Mr。 Judson's body on the art…school floor； and the upsetting of Miss Grant's mind for days thereafter。 Once Oliver had unintentionally neared the danger… line by mentioning the lithographer's name； but Margaret had suddenly become interested in the movements of a chipmunk that had crept down for the crumbs of their luncheon； and with a woman's wit had raised her finger to her lips to command silence lest he should be frightened off。
They painted no more that afternoon。 When the shadows began to fall in the valley they started up the road； picking up Oliver's easel and trapboth had stood unmolested and would have done so all summer with perfect safetyand Oliver walked with Margaret as far as the bars that led into Taft's pasture。 There they bade each other good…night； Margaret promising to be ready in the morning with her big easel and a fresh canvas； which Oliver was to carry； when they would both go sketching together and make a long blessed summer day of it。
That night Oliver's upraised； restless hands felt the shingles over his head more than once before he could get to sleep。 He had not thought he could be any happierbut he was。 Margaret's unexpected appearance had restored to him that something which the old life at home had always yielded。 He was never really happy without the companionship of a woman； and this he had not had since leaving Kennedy Square。 Those he had met on rare occasions in New York were either too conventional or selfconscious； or they seemed to be offended at his familiar Southern ways。 This one was so sensible and companionable； and so appreciative and sympathetic。 He felt he could say anything to her and she would know what he meant。 Per