‘I was a-standen on the street corner when a man says, “Want a good job? Out past Cornishville. Good pay. Man crippled a Saturday that owns the land. Good clever man. Treat you fair and pay all that’s right.” Thinks I, I can do it if any man can. Just you watch Jonas.’ His head was high in his pleasure and pride.

It would rain all night, a slow dripping wet, and in the morning the road would be spotted with standing puddles Jonas would be riding far into the night, wet with the rain, leaping ahead on the little horse. ‘Which way is Cornishville now?’ she asked.

‘You couldn’t see. It’s a far piece off.’

The ground was dull and colourless, and there was no green anywhere but in the few low cedar bushes off at the pasture’s edge. The lead of the sky settled down over the earth and another leadenness arose out of the earth seams and hollows.

‘Is it that country I can see in a fair time from the hill maybe?’ she asked.

‘You couldn’t see. It’s a long piece that way,’ he pointed.

‘I’ll come back,’ Jonas said, looking at her for parting. She felt his look penetrate her face and reach her need of him just as a few drops of rain began to fall. ‘I aim to be off now. I’ll ride Jake here.’ They were two leaden figures rising out of the earth, walking down the brow of the gentle crest. Ellen saw their feet rising and falling darkly into the dark of the ground, themselves the living part of all the dull spring. Their figures were mingled with the darkness of the horse that came down, head bowed, close behind them. Then Jonas took her into his arms and kissed her for leaving, pressing her against the shoulder of the horse and gathering her to himself.

‘God blast me to perdition if ever I forget you, Elleen. When I come back we’ll get married,’ he said.

‘Elmer and Dorine… Do you know it?’ he said again.

‘I knowed a right smart while.’

‘I’ll come back afore long. Then me and you.’

She separated them in her mind while she clung to him, knowing for the first time that she was not going, realizing that when he went she would be there, herself, Jonas gone, the two divided. Then she flung back the shawl from her head and buried her face against his face, pressing her bosom into his bosom, crying, ‘Jonas, don’t go, Jonas, Jonas, take me,’ until he trembled under the impact of her pleading, and they stood together weeping, she with tears and he with wrenching sobs.

‘God Almighty blast me to perdition, I’d as soon give up life itself as you, Elleen,’ he said. His words mingled with their weeping, falling between their cries and their caresses. ‘God Almighty damn me for a fool if ever I forget. If ever I forget e’er look of your face or the feel of you. God blast me…’ The crows had cried their last laughter and went away into the dark, and Ben’s voice came over the pasture calling some straying hog, ‘Ho-eee, peeg, peeg, peeg, peeg,’ over and over. ‘Blast me if ever I forget or don’t come back like I say,’ Jonas bound tight his oath. He put her shawl over her head and folded it about her breast. ‘I got to go tonight. It’s a fine job, the best I could get anywheres, and I already given my word I’d be there by sunup. I’ll come back afore long. And I’ll write you a letter.’ Then he climbed on the horse and rode away in the falling rain.