ee yo' Unc' Jep, about moonrise to-night. They
said that--Granny an' Creed. An' they fussed. Granny, she don't want him
to go; but Creed, he thest will--he's bull-headed, Creed is."

Judith caught her breath. They had got the message to him then, and he
was going. Well, her appointment with him must be first.

"Little Buck, honey, ef you love me don't you forget one word I say to
you now," she whispered chokingly, holding the child by both hands.

He rounded eyes of solemn adoration and acquiescence upon her.

"You say to Creed Bonbright that Judith Barrier says he must come to her
at the foot of Foeman's Bluff--on yon side--as soon after dark as he can
git there. Tell him to come straight through by the short cut; hit'll be
safe; nobody'll ever study about him comin' in this direction. As soon
after hit's plumb dark as he can git there--will ye say that? Will ye
shore tell Creed an' never tell nobody but Creed?"

"But he won't go," said Little Buck wisely. "Granny's scared to have him
go to talk to yo' Unc' Jep, but she'd be a heap scareder to have him come
to you, 'caze you' one o' the Turrentines too--ain't ye, Judith?"

Judith's face whitened at the weakness of her position.

"I would come, Judith, becaze I love you an' you love me--but Creed, he
won't," said the boy.

"You tell him Little Buck," she whispered huskily, terror and shame
warring in her face, "tell him that I do love him. Tell him I said for
God's sake to come--if he loves me."

The child's eyes slowly filled. He dropped them and stood staring at the
ground, saying nothing because of the blur. Finally:

"I'll tell him that--ef you say I must," he whispered. And loving, tender
Judith, in her desperate preoccupation, never noted what she had done to
her little sweetheart.

Chapter XVII

The Old Cherokee Trail

"The supper's all ready for you boys," Judith called in to Wade whose
whistle sounded from his own room. "Hit's a settin', kivered, on the
hearth; the coffee-pot's on the coals. Would you-all mind to wait on
yo'selves, an' would you put the saddle on Selim for me? I'm goin' over
to Lusks'. I'll eat supper there; I may stay all night; but I'll be home
in the mornin' soon to git you-all's breakfast."

"Why--why, pap 'lowed----"

"Well, Uncle Jep ain't here. Ef you don't want to----"

"Oh, that's all right Judith. Of course it's all right. But you say
you're goin' to ride to Lusks'?--to ride?" hesitated Wade uneasily.
Judith