"I reckon," he said, with slow bitterness, "that hit would 'a' been early long as the furriner was hyeh."
The girl was roused instantly, but she said nothing, and he continued, in a determined tone:
"Easter, thar's a good deal I've wanted to say to ye fer a long time, but I hev kept a-puttin' hit off until I'm afeard maybe hit air too late. But I'm a-goin' to say hit now, and I want ye to listen." He cleared his throat huskily. " Do ye know, Easter, what folks in the mountains is a-sayin'?
The girl's quick insight told her what was coming, and her face hardened.
"Have ye ever knowed me, Sherd Raines, to keer what folks in the mountains say? I reckon ye mean as how they air a-talkin' about me
That's what I mean," said the mountaineer-" you 'n' him."
"Whut air they a-sayin'?" she asked, defiantly. Raines watched her narrowly.
"They air a-sayin' as how he air a-comin' up here mighty often; as how Easter Hicks, who hev never keered fer no man, air in love with this furriner from the settlemints."
The girl reddened, in spite of her assumed indifference.
"They- say, too, as how he air not in love with her, 'n' that somebody oughter warn Easter that he air not a-meanin' good to her. You hev been seed a-walkin' in the mountains together."