nothin' but a damned old--"

But Brian started toward him, and Jap Taylor beat a hasty retreat.

"Never mind, Judy," said Brian, when the native had disappeared in the
brush and timber that covered the steep mountain-side. "I'll not let
him touch you. Come, let us sit down and talk a little until you are
yourself again. Auntie Sue must not see you like this. We don't want to
let her know anything about it. You won't tell her, will you?"

"I ain't aimin' ter tell nobody," said Judy, between sobs. "I sure ain't
a-wantin' ter make no trouble,--not for Auntie Sue, nohow. She's been
powerful good ter me."

When they were seated on convenient rocks at the brink of the cliff
overlooking the river, Judy gradually ceased crying, and presently said,
in her normal, querulous monotone: "Did you-all mind what pap 'lowed
he'd do ter Auntie Sue, Mr. Burns?"

"Yes, Judy; but don't worry, child. He is not going to harm any one
while I am around."

"You-all are aimin' ter stay then, be you? I'm sure powerful glad," said
Judy, simply.

Brian started. A new factor had suddenly been injected into his problem.

"I was powerful scared you-all was aimin' ter go away," continued Judy.
"Hit was that I was a-huntin' you-all to tell you 'bout, when pap he
ketched me."

"What were you going to tell me, Judy?"

"I 'lowed ter tell you-all 'bout Auntie Sue. She'd sure be powerful mad
if she know'd I'd said anythin' ter you, but she's a-needin' somebody
like you ter help her, mighty bad. She--she's done lost a heap of money,
lately: hit was some she sent--"

Brian interrupted: "Wait a minute, Judy. You must not tell me anything
about Auntie Sue's private affairs; you must not tell any one. Anything
she wants me to know, she will tell me. Do you understand?" he finished
with a reassuring smile.

"Yes, sir; I reckon you-all are 'bout right, an' I won't tell nobody
nothin'. But 'tain't a-goin' ter hurt none ter say as how you-all ort
ter stay, I reckon."

"And why do you think I ought to stay, Judy?"

"'Cause of what Auntie Sue's done for you-all,--a-nursin' you when you
was plumb crazy an' plumb dangerous from licker, an' a lyin' like she
did ter the Sheriff an' that there deteckertive man," returned Judy
stoutly; "an' 'cause she's so old an' is a-needin' you-all ter help her;
an' 'cause she is a-lovin' you like she does, an' is a-wantin' you-all
ter stay so bad hit's mighty nigh a-makin' her plumb sick."

Brian Kent did not answer. T