That Girl of Johnson's — page 69: what you’re looking at

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

58 | THAT GIRL OF JOHNSON’S. roused suspicion regarding Johnson’s non-appearance. He left a full bucket on the edge of the well for her. His words were rough, his manners rude; he had no education but that which the mountains taught him, but he had a heart under the roughness. It was a sluggish heart, and seldom weakened, but it sometimes stirred out of its slow beat. Dolores was unused to attention; this slight act touched her strangely ; she watched him go down the road, and his slouching figure had a sort of grace in her eyes. When he disappeared beyond the bushes of the road-side her gaze wandered to the misty mountain opposite. Brindle was straying away unnoticed by the girl. As she watched the mountain a brave purpose dawned slowly in her eyes. Her face lost its worn and haggard look; it was flushed softly and not by the eastern sky; the lurid light had died out of that, leaving it a dull, ashen gray. She arose and carried the pail inside; the thick froth on the milk hissed as she strained it and set it away on the pantry shelves. Then she prepared a pot of coffee strong and clear, and drank a cupful. She fried some bacon and eges, and ate them determinedly. She was impelled by her hidden purpose, and ate that she should have strength. Then she cleared the dishes and reset the table; she brushed up the floor and polished the hearth; she opened all the windows to let in such air as there was. Nothing about her house did she leave undone. When she had finished this she filled a large bottle with the rich new milk, and hung it at her side with a slender rope across her shoulders; she knew that she would have need of both her hands. Then she closed the door and went down the path with a firm step. It was the middle of the morning; the day was broad awake, but it was a sullen day boding darkness and rain. She pushed her sunbonnet back from her face, and let it hang down her shoulders. She felt suffocated init; she € wished to feel free and to breathe, Gomicbooks.co