Produced by David Garcia, Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net THE MOUNTAIN GIRL [Illustration: _"We will go home--to my home--just like this, together."_ FRONTISPIECE. _See Page 311._] The Mountain Girl By PAYNE ERSKINE Author of "When the Gates Lift Up Their Heads." [Illustration] WITH FOUR ILLUSTRATIONS BY J. DUNCAN GLEASON A. L. BURT COMPANY PUBLISHERS NEW YORK COPYRIGHT, 1911, 1912, BY LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY. _All rights reserved._ CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. In which David Thryng arrives at Carew's Crossing 1 II. In which David Thryng experiences the Hospitality of the Mountain People 10 III. In which Aunt Sally takes her Departure and meets Frale 25 IV. David spends his First Day at his Cabin, and Frale makes his Confession 35 V. In which Cassandra goes to David with her Trouble, and gives Frale her Promise 47 VI. In which David aids Frale to make his Escape 59 VII. In which Frale goes down to Farington in his own Way 68 VIII. In which David Thryng makes a Discovery 76 IX. In which David accompanies Cassandra on an Errand of Mercy 86 X. In which Cassandra and David visit the Home of Decatur Irwin 94 XI. In which Spring comes to the Mountains, and Cassandra tells David of her Father 103 XII. In which Cassandra hears the Voices, and David leases a Farm 111 XIII. In which David discovers Cassandra's Trouble 120 XIV. In which David visits the Bishop, and Frale sees his Enemy 131 XV. In which Jerry Carew gives David his Views on Future Punishment, and Little Hoyle pays him a Visit and is made Happy 144 XVI. In which Frale returns and listens to the Complaints of Decatur Irwin's Wife 152 XVII. In which David Thryng meets an Enemy 164 XVIII. In which David Thryng Awakes 172 XIX. In which David sends Hoke Belew on a Commission, and Cassandra makes a Confession 180 XX. In which the Bishop and his Wife pass an Eventful Day at the Fall Place 189 XXI. In which the Summer Passes 198 XXII. In which David takes little Hoyle to Canada 207 XXIII. In which Doctor Hoyle speaks his Mind 212