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Page 71
"G'long!" said Liberty Jones, more than ever convinced of his
badinage.
"Fact," said Hoskins energetically. "Why, Doc would tell ye so,
too. See ef he don't!"
At this Liberty Jones felt her face grow hot. "You jess get!" she
said, turning away in as much embarrassment as anger. Yet he
hovered near her with awkward attentions that pleased while it
still angered her. He offered to go with her to look up the cows;
she flatly declined, yet with a strange satisfaction in his evident
embarrassment. This may have lent some animation to her face, for
he drew a long breath and said:--
"Don't go pertendin' ye don't know yer purty. Say, let me and you
walk a bit and have a talk together." But Libby had another idea
in her mind and curtly dismissed him. Then she ran swiftly to the
spring, for the words "The Doc will tell ye so, too" were ringing
in her ears. The doctor who came with the two beautifully dressed
women! HE--would tell her she was pretty! She had not dared to
look at herself in that crystal mirror since that dreadful day two
months ago. She would now.
It was a pretty place in the cool shade of the giant trees, and the
hoof-marks of cattle drinking from the run beneath the pool had not
disturbed the margin of that tranquil sylvan basin. For a moment
she stood tremulous and uncertain, and then going up to the shining
mirror, dropped on her knees before it with her thin red hands
clasped on her lap. Unconsciously she had taken the attitude of
prayer; perhaps there was something like it in her mind.
And then the light glanced full on the figure that she saw there!
It fell on a full oval face and throat guileless of fleck or stain,
smooth as a child's and glowing with health; on large dark eyes, no
longer sunk in their orbits, but filled with an eager, happy light;
on bared arms now shapely in contour and cushioned with firm flesh;
on a dazzling smile, the like of which had never been on the face
of Liberty Jones before!
She rose to her feet, and yet lingered as if loath to part from
this delightful vision. Then a fear overcame her that it was some
trick of the water, and she sped swiftly back to the house to
consult the little mirror which hung in her sleeping-room, but
which she had never glanced at since the momentous day of the
spring. She took it shyly into the sunshine, and found that it
corroborated the reflection of the spring. That night she worked
until late at the calico Doctor Ruysdael had sent her, and went to
bed happy. The next day brought her Hoskins again with a feeble
excuse of inquiring if she had a letter for the doctor, and she was
surprised to find that he was reinforced by a stranger from
Hoskins's farm, who was equally awkward and vaguely admiring. But
the appearance of the TWO men produced a singular phase in her
impressions and experience. She was no longer indignant at
Hoskins, but she found relief in accepting the compliments of the
stranger in preference, and felt a delight in Hoskins's discomfiture.
Waya, promoted to the burlesque of a chaperone, grinned with
infinite delight and understanding.
When at last the day came for the doctor's arrival, he was duly met
by Hoskins, and as duly informed by that impressible subordinate of
the great change in Liberty's appearance. But the doctor was far
from being equally impressed with his factor's story, and indeed
showed much more interest in the appearance of the stock which they
met along the road. Once the doctor got out of the wagon to
inspect a cow, and particularly the coat of a rough draught horse
that had been turned out and put under Liberty's care. "His skin
is like velvet," said the doctor. "The girl evidently understands
stock, and knows how to keep them in condition."
"I reckon she's beginning to understand herself, too," said
Hoskins. "Golly! wait till ye see HER."
The doctor DID see her, but with what feelings he did not as
frankly express. She was not at the cabin when they arrived, but
presently appeared from the direction of the spring where, for
reasons of her own, she had evidently made her toilet. Doctor
Ruysdael was astounded; Hoskins's praise was not exaggerated; and
there was an added charm that Hoskins was not prepared for. She
had put on a gown of her own making,--the secret toil of many a
long night,--amateurishly fashioned from some cheap yellow calico
the doctor had sent her, yet fitting her wonderfully, and showing
every curve of her graceful figure. Unaccented by a corset,--an
article she had never known,--even the lines of the stiff,
unyielding calico had a fashion that was nymph-like and suited her
unfettered limbs. Doctor Ruysdael was profoundly moved. Though a
philosopher, he was practical. He found himself suddenly
confronted not only by a beautiful girl, but a problem! It was
impossible to keep the existence of this woodland nymph from the
knowledge of his distant neighbors; it was equally impossible for
him to assume the responsibility of keeping a goddess like this in
her present position. He had noticed her previous improvement, but
had never dreamed that pure and wholesome living could in two
months work such a miracle. And he was to a certain degree
responsible, HE had created her,--a beautiful Frankenstein, whose
lustrous, appealing eyes were even now menacing his security and
position.
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