That Girl of Johnson's — page 22: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THAT GIRL OF JOHNSON’S, 11 The girl in the door-way lost her listless attitude. She came down the steps and stood at the rickety gate, her eyes afire, her cheeks flushed. She called to him, and her voice—peculiarly penetrating, but full of rare sweetness— sounded like a note of music on the sultry air.. He smiled ather. With a tight rein and a calm word he quieted the mare, then he rode up to the girl. His voice was pleasant ; to her it sounded grave and almost sweet. ‘The mare is gentle as a kitten; she would not harm me for the world. It is only one of her tricks to try to dis- mount me; she knows she cannot do it. You are as fond of animals as of astronomy, are you not, Miss Johnson ?” Her gaze had strayed down to the shop. Her father was standing in the door-way rubbing his hands on his leathern apron and watching them. The flash died out of her eyes, the flush from her face ; the listlessness had returned. His gaze involuntarily followed hers. He received no reply from her, and expected none; he understood with a rare instinct. When he had ridden away she stood a long time at the gate. The far away look was in her eyes as she watched the black mare and her rider until the haze from the mountain hid them from her view. Few such strangers came to the settlement. An occa- sional hunting.party stopped there for a rest, or now and then some of the townspeople rode through on their way up or down the mountain, but they took not the least in- terest in the people there, and none in her. This one was pleasant to her; she did not understand it; she did not dream that he understood her better than she understood herself. She knew nothing of such naturesas his. But his voice and face haunted her as did some other pleasant dreams. When her father came in to dinner he watched her as she prepared the table; he watched her as she ate. His eyes were on her constantly; she knew it, but gave no Eomicbooks:. co