II-VIII

He drove over the road that lay at the base
of the western range away from his dwelling
and Greenstream village. The mature
spring day had almost the appearance of summer;
the valley was flooded with sparkling sunlight;
but the young leaves were still red, the greenery still
translucent, the trees black with risen sap. The
buggy rolled through the shallow, rocky fords, the
horse's hoofs flinging up the water in shining drops.
The road rose slightly, turning to the right, where an
intermediate valley lay diagonally through the range.
Save for small, scattered farms the bottomland was
uncultivated, the tangled brush impenetrable.

Gordon passed other vehicles, bound toward the
camp meeting, usually a single seat crowded with
three, or even four, adult forms. He passed flat
wagons with their bottoms filled with straw, on
which women sat with stiffly-extended legs. The
young women wore gay colors, their eyes sparkled
in hardy faces, their hands, broad and red and capable,
awkwardly disposed. The older women,
with shawls folded about their stooped shoulders,

[[184]]

p183 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p184w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p185

v?