Part 4 (2/2)

”No,” returned the old man, seeing in this a chance to call at the cabin, where, beneath the reception that might have been offered an interloper, even a duller wit than his might have divined a secret cordial welcome.

”I reckon I better find time to step over that way an' ax is there anything I can do to he'p 'em out.”

”I wish 't you would,” a.s.sented Judith so heartily that he turned and regarded her with surprise. ”An' ef you see Huldy over yon tell her she's needed at home. Jim Cal's sick, and Iley can't no-way git along without her.”

”I reckon James Calhoun Turrentine ain't got nothin' worse 'n the old complaint that sends a feller fis.h.i.+n' when the days gits warm,” opined Jim Cal's father. ”I named that boy after the finest man that ever walked G.o.d's green earth--an' then the fool had to go and git fat on me! To think of me with a _fat_ son! I allers did hold that a fat woman was bad enough, but a fat man ort p'intedly to be led out an' killed.”

”Jude, whar's my knife,” came the call from the window in a masculine voice. ”Pitch it out here, can't you?”

Judith took the pocket-knife from the mantel, and going to the window tossed it to her cousin Wade Turrentine, who was shaping an axe helve at the chip pile.

”Do you know whar Huldy's gone?” she inquired, setting her elbows on the sill and staring down at the young fellow accusingly.

”Nope--an' don't care neither,” said Wade, contentedly returning to his whittling. He was expecting to marry Huldah Spiller, Iley's younger sister, within a few months, and the reply was thus conventional.

”Well, you'd better care,” urged Judith. ”You better make her stay home and behave herself. She's gone over to Nancy Card's taggin' after Creed Bonbright. I wouldn't stand it ef I was you.”

”I ain't standin'--I'm settin',” retorted Wade with rather feeble wit; but the girl noted with satisfaction the quick, fierce spark of anger that leaped to life in his clear hazel eyes, the instant stiffening of his relaxed figure. Like a child playing with fire, she was ready to set alight any materials that came within reach of her reckless fingers, so only that she fancied her own ends might be served. Now she went uneasily back to the hearthstone. Her uncle, noting that she appeared engrossed in her baking, gave a surrept.i.tious glance into the small ancient mirror standing on the high mantel, made a half-furtive exchange of coats, and prepared to depart.

Up at the crib Blatch Turrentine was loading corn, and Jim Cal came creeping across from his own cabin whence Iley had ejected him. He stood for a while, humped, hands in pockets, watching the other's strong body spring lithely to its task. Finally he began in his plaintive, ineffectual voice.

”Blatch, I take notice that you seem to be settin' up to Jude. Do ye think hit's wise?”

The other grunted over a particularly heavy sack, swung it to the waggon bed, straightened himself suddenly, and faced his questioner with a look of dark anger.

”I'd like to see the feller that can git her away from me!” he growled.

”I wasn't a-meanin' that,” said Jim Cal, patiently but uneasily s.h.i.+fting from the right foot to the left. ”I'll admit--an' I reckon everybody on the place will say the same--that she's always give you mo' reason than another to believe she'd have ye. Not but what that's Jude's way, an'

she's hilt out sech hopes to a-many. What pesters me is how you two would make out, once you was wed. Jude's mighty pretty, but then again she's got a tongue.”

”Her farm hain't,” chuckled Blatch, pulling a sack into place; ”and I 'low Jude wouldn't have after her and me had been wed a short while.”

”I don't know, Blatch,” maintained the fleshy one, timid yet persisting.

”You're a great somebody for havin' yo' own way, an' Jude's mighty high sperrity--why, you two would sh.o.r.ely fuss.”

”Not more than once, we wouldn't,” returned Blatch with a meaning laugh.

”The way to do with a woman like Jude is to give her a civil beatin' to start out with and show her who's boss--wouldn't be no trouble after that. Jude Barrier has got a good farm. She's the best worker of any gal that I know, and I aim for to have her--an' this farm.”

Within the house now Judith, her cheeks glowing crimson as she bent above the heaped coals, was going with waxing resentment over the catalogue of Huldah Spiller's personal characteristics. Her hair, huh! she was mighty particular to call it ”aurbu'n,” but a body might as well say red when they were namin' it, because red was what it was. If a man admired a turkey egg he would be likely to see beauty in Huldah's complexion--some folks might wear a sunbonnet to bed, and freckle they would! A vision of the laughing black eyes and white flas.h.i.+ng teeth that went with Huldah Spiller's red ringlets and freckles, and made her little hatchet face brilliant when she smiled or laughed, suddenly put Judith on foot and running to the door.

”Uncle Jep,” she called after the tall receding form, ”_Oh_, Uncle Jep!”

He turned muttering, ”I hope to goodness Jude ain't goin' to git the hollerin' habit. There's Iley never lets Jim Cal git away from the house without hollerin' after him as much as three times, and the thing he'd like least to have knowed abroad is the thing she takes up with for the last holler.”

”Uncle Jep,” came the clear hail from the doorway, ”don't you fail to find Huldy and send her straight home. Tell her Iley's nigh about give out, and Jim Cal's down sick in the bed--hear me?”

He nodded and turned disgustedly. What earthly difference did it make about Jim Cal and Huldah and Iley? Why should Judith suddenly care? And then, being a philosopher and in his own manner an amateur of life, he set to work to a.n.a.lyze her motives, and guessed obliquely at them.

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