“You say the woman wahn’t any to blame—­wahn’t any to blame?”

The poke bonnet turned away.  The shoulders under it began to shake, and presently the astonished Jethro heard what seemed to be faint peals of laughter.  Suddenly she turned around to him, all trace of laughter gone.

“Why don’t you read the book?”

“So I am,” said Jethro, “so I am.  Hain’t come to this casting-off yet.”

“And you didn’t look ahead to find out?” This with scorn.

“Never heard of readin’ a book in that fashion.  I’ll come to it in time—­g-guess it won’t run away.”

Cynthia stared at him, perhaps with a new interest at this plodding determination.  She was not quite sure that she ought to stand talking to him a third time in these woods, especially if the subject of conversation were not, as Coniston thought, the salvation of his soul.  But she stayed.  Here was a woman who could be dealt with by no known rules, who did not even deign to notice a week of marked coldness.

“Jethro,” she said, with a terrifying sternness, “I am going to ask you a question, and you must answer me truthfully.”

“G-guess I won’t find any trouble about that,” said Jethro, apparently not in the least terrified.

“I want you to tell me why you are going to meeting.”

“To see you,” said Jethro, promptly, “to see you.”

“Don’t you know that that is wrong?”

“H-hadn’t thought much about it,” answered Jethro.

“Well, you should think about it.  People don’t go to meeting to—­to look at other people.”

“Thought they did,” said Jethro.  “W-why do they wear their best clothes—­why do they wear their best clothes?”

“To honor God,” said Cynthia, with a shade lacking in the conviction, for she added hurriedly:  “It isn’t right for you to go to church to see—­anybody.  You go there to hear the Scriptures expounded, and to have your sins forgiven.  Because I lent you that book, and you come to meeting, people think I’m converting you.”

“So you be,” replied Jethro, and this time it was he who smiled, “so you be.”

Cynthia turned away, her lips pressed together:  How to deal with such a man!  Wondrous notes broke on the stillness, the thrush was singing his hymn again, only now it seemed a paean.  High in the azure a hawk wheeled, and floated.

“Couldn’t you see I was very angry with you?”

“S-saw you was goin’ with Moses Hatch more than common.”

Cynthia drew breath sharply.  This was audacity—­and yet she liked it.

“I am very fond of Moses,” she said quickly.

“You always was charitable, Cynthy,” said he.

“Haven’t I been charitable to you?” she retorted.

“G-guess it has be’n charity,” said Jethro.  He looked down at her solemnly, thoughtfully, no trace of anger in his face, turned, and without another word strode off in the direction of Coniston Flat.