in an almost unbroken silence, the younger boys plainly
hesitating to speak to either Judith or their father. Save for elliptical
requests for food, the only conversation was when Wade offered the
opinion that it looked like it might rain before morning, and his father
replied that he did not think it would. Leaving the table without further
word, Jephthah returned to his own quarters; the boys drifted away one by
one giving no destination.

The light that used to wink out in friendly fashion from the smaller
cabin across the slope was darkened. Jim Cal had crawled out of bed after
a somewhat prolonged conversation with Wade. A little later he had
sullenly harnessed up a mule of Blatch's and, with Iley and the children,
started for old Jesse Spiller's, out at Big Buck Gap, the sister
maintaining to the last that Huldah must certainly have gone out to
pap's, and would be found waiting for them at the old home.

There was nobody left on the place but Judith and her uncle. The girl
went automatically about her Saturday evening duties, working doggedly,
trying to tire herself out so that she might sleep when the time came
that there was nothing to do but go to bed. As she passed from her
storeroom, which she had got Wade to build in the back end of the
threshing-floor porch, to the great open fireplace where a kettle hung
with white beans boiling that would be served with dumplings for the
Sunday dinner, as she took down and sorted over towels and cloths that
were not needed, but which made a pretext for activity, her mind ground
steadily upon the happenings of the past days. She could see Creed's face
before her as he had looked the night of the play-party. What coarse,
crude animals the other men were beside him! She could hear his voice as
it spoke to her in the dark yard at the Bonbright place, and her breath
caught in her throat.

She must be up and away; she must go to him and warn him, protect him
against these her fierce kindred.

Then suddenly came the vision of Creed's laughing mouth as he bent to
claim the forfeited kiss when Huldah Spiller had openly pushed herself
across the line "and mighty nigh into his arms." Huldah had run hot-foot
to warn him. Arley Kittridge brought word of having seen her dodge into
the Card orchard on her way to the house on the evening before, and
nobody had had sight of her since.

Judith's was a nature swayed by impulse, more capable than she herself
was aware of noble action,