* *

At the Turrentine home life dragged on strangely. Jephthah in his own
cabin, busied himself overhauling some harness. The boys had been across
at the old place, presumably making a thorough inspection of the scene of
the trouble. Judith went mechanically about her tasks, cooking and
serving the meals, setting the house in order. Only once did she rouse
somewhat, and that was when Huldah Spiller flounced in and flung herself
tempestuously down in a chair.

"How you come on, Judy?" inquired the red-haired damsel.

"About as usual," returned Judith coldly, and would fain have added,
"none the better for seeing you."

"I jest had to run over and see how you was standin' it," Huldah pursued
vivaciously. "I cried all night--didn't you?"

"What for?" inquired Judith angrily.

"Oh--I don't know. I'm jest thataway. Git me started an' thar's no
stoppin' me. But then I've knowed Creed so mighty long--him an' me was
powerful good friends, and my feelin's is more tenderer than some folks's
anyhow."

"Huldy," said Judith in a tone so rigidly controlled that it made the
other jump, "ef you'll jest walk yo'self out of here I'll be obliged to
you. I've stood all I can. I don't want to say anything plumb bad to you,
but ef you set thar an' talk to me like that for another minute I will."

"Oh, you po' thing!" cried Huldah, jumping to her feet. "I declare to
goodness I forgot all about you an' Blatch. Here I've been carryin' on
over Creed Bonbright--and you mighty near a widder. You po' thing!"

Judith faced around with such blazing eyes from the biscuits she was
moulding that Huldah beat a hasty retreat, dodged out of the door, and
ran up the slope. At Jim Cal's cabin she paused and looked about her
uncertainly. Iley had the toothache, and for various reasons was proving
a poor audience for her younger sister's conversation. The day had been a
trying one to Huldah's excited nerves, a sad anti-climax after the
explosions of the night before. It was five o'clock. The men were all
over at the old place. If she but had an excuse to follow them, now. Why,
the whole top of the Bald above Foeman's Bluff, and the broad shelf below
it, were covered with huckleberry bushes! She put her head in at the
door. Iley looked up from the hot brick which she was wrapping in a wet
cloth with ten drops of turpentine on it preparatory to applying the same
to her cheek above the swollen tooth.

"Ef you say 'Creed Bonbright'--or 'ki