It hain't in 'em to be mortified for any length of time, as is well
known by female pardners.

But we kep on a-goin'. And every single time I went into that beautiful
room, whether it wuz broad daylight or lit up by gas, every single time
the face of that tall slender girl, a-standin' there so calm by the
crystal brook, would look so natural to me, and so sort o' familiar,
that I almost ketched myself sayin'--

"Good-evenin', my dear," to it, which would have been perfectly
ridiculous in me, and the very next thing to worshippin' a graven image.

And what made it more mysterious to me, and more like a circus (a
solemn, high-toned circus), wuz, to ketch ever and anon, and I guess
oftener than that, Mr. Freeman's eyes bent on that pretty young face
with a look as if he too recognized her, and wanted to talk to her. And
some, too, he looked as if she wuz dead and buried, and he wuz
a-mournin' deep for her, _very_ deep.

As curious a look as I ever see; and if I hain't seen curious looks in
my time, then I will say nobody has. Yes, indeed! I have seen curious
looks in my journey through life, curious as a dog, and curiouser.

But there she stood, no matter what looks wuz cast on her from friend or
foe--and I guess it would sound better to say from friend or lover, for
nobody could be a foe to that radiant-faced, beautiful creeter.

There she stood, in sun or shade, knee-deep in them fresh green grasses,
a-lookin' off onto them sunset clouds always rosy and golden, by the
side of that streamlet that always had the sparkle on its tiny waves.