overed with
mud, there was a touch of the ridiculous in his appearance that brought
a grin to the unlovely face of his rescuer, and caused her to exclaim
with unnecessary frankness: "I'll be dad burned if you-all ain't a thing
ter look at, mister!"

As the poor creature, who was shaking as if with the ague, regarded the
twisted form, the wry neck, and the sallow, old-young face of the
girl, who was laughing at him, a gleam of sardonic humor flashed in
his bloodshot eyes. "Thanks," he said, huskily; "you are something of a
vision yourself, aren't you?"

The laughter went from Judy's face as she caught the meaning of the
cruel words. "I ain't never laid no claim ter bein' a beauty," she
retorted in her shrill, drawling monotone. "But, I kin tell you-all one
thing, mister: Hit was God-A'mighty Hisself an' my drunken pap what made
me ter look like I do. While you,--damn you!--you-all just naturally
made yourself what you be."

At the mountain girl's illiterate words, so pregnant with meaning, a
remarkable change came over the face and manner of the man. His voice,
even, for the moment, lost its huskiness, and vibrated with sincere
feeling as he steadied himself; and, bowing with courteous deference,
said: "I beg your pardon, miss. That was unkind. You really should have
left me to the river."

"You-all would a-drownded, sure, if I had," she retorted, somewhat
mollified by the effect of her observation.

"Which," he returned, "would have been so beautifully right and fitting
that it evidently could not be." And with this cynical remark, his
momentary bearing of self-respect was gone.

"Are you-all a-meanin' ter say that you-all was a-wantin' ter drown?"

"Something like that," he returned. And then, with a hint of ugliness in
his voice and eyes, he rasped: "But, look here, girl! do you think I'm
going to stand like this all day indulging in idle conversation with
you? Where is this aunt of yours? Can't you see that I've got to have a
drink?"

He started uncertainly toward the steps that led to the top of the bank,
and Judy, holding him by his arm, helped him to climb the steep way. A
part of the ascent he made on hands and knees. Several times he would
have fallen except for the girl's support. But, at last, they gained the
top, and stood in the garden.

"That there is the house," said Judy, pointing. "But I don't reckon as
how you-all kin git ary licker there."

The wretched man made no reply; but, with Judy st