Julia turns away and gives herself up to the enjoyment of the wood around her.
Laura arranges her ribbons and smoothes out her gown. Neither of them speak for a few minutes.
Laura. [Looking up and pointing.] See those strange folk over there? What are they?
Julia. [Looking in the same direction.] I know them. They are gipsies from the hill near to us.
Laura. They should be driven away then. I don’t like such folk roosting around.
Julia. But I do. They are friends to me. Many’s the time I have run out at dusk to speak with them as they sit round their fire.
Laura. Then you didn’t ought to have done so. Let’s get off now, before they come up.
Julia. No, no. Let us talk to them all. [Calling.] Tansie and Chris, come you here and sit down alongside of us. [Chris, Nat, and Tansie come up.
Chris. Good morning to you, mistress. ’Tis a fine brave day, to-day.
Julia. That it is, Chris. There never was so fine a day. And we have come to spend all of it in this forest.