he cedar tree was a harp that the winds
struck--a voice that spoke in the night of love and Creed.

Finally one morning she saddled Selim and, with something in her pocket
for Little Buck and Beezy, set out for Hepzibah--reckon they's nothin' so
turrible strange in a body goin' to the settlement when they' out o' both
needles _an_' bakin' soda!

As she rode up Nancy herself called to her to 'light and come in, and
finally went out to stand a moment and chat; but the girl smilingly shook
her head.

"I got to be getting along, thank ye," she said. "I can't stop this
mornin'. You-all must come and see us, Aunt Nancy."

"Why, what's Little Buck a-goin' to do, with his own true love a-tearin'
past the house like this and refusin' to stop and visit?" complained
Nancy, secretly applauding the girl's good sense and dignity.

"Where _is_ my beau?" asked Judith. "I fetched him the first June apples
off the tree."

"Judy's brought apples to her beau, and now he's went off fishin' with
Doss and she's got nobody to give 'em to," old Nancy called as Creed
stepped from the door of his office and started across to the cabin.
"Don't you want 'em, Creed?"

The tall, fair young fellow came up laughing.

"Aunt Nancy knows I love apples," he said. "If you give me Little Buck's
share I'm afraid he'll never see 'em."

Judith reached in her pocket and brought out the shiny, small red globes
and put them in his outstretched hand.

"I'll bring Little Buck a play-pretty from the settlement," she said
softly. "He'll keer a sight more for hit than for the apples. I wish I'd
knowed you liked 'em--I'd brought you more. Why don't you come over and
see us and git all you want? We've got two trees of 'em."

Chapter V

The Red Rose and the Briar

ALL through April Judith's project of a play-party languished. She had to
pull steadily against the elders, for not only were the men hard at it
making ready for the putting in of the year's crops, but it was gardening
time as well, when even the women and children are pressed in to help at
the raking up and brush piling. Wood smoke from the clearing fires
haunted all the hollows. Everybody was preparing for the making of the
truck patch. Down on the little groups would drop a cloud and blot out
the bonfire till it became the mere glowing point at the heart of a
shaken opal--for if you are wise you burn brush on a rainy day.

Old Jephthah opposed the plan for the girl's festivity on anot