n't sleep, and I got up
and looked through the house, and the boys is all gone, and I got sorter
scared."

He was with her almost instantly.

"I reckon they're all over 'crost the gulch," he said in his usual
unexcited fashion, though she noted that he did not go back into his
room, but joined her where she lingered in the dark outside.

"Of course they air," she reassured herself and him. "Whar else could
they be?"

"Now I'm up, I reckon I mought go over yon myself," the old man said
finally. "My foot hurts me this evening; I believe I'll ride Pete. I took
notice the boys had all the critters up for an early start in the
mornin'."

Both knew that this was a device for investigating the stables, and
together they hurried to the huddle of low log buildings which served to
house forage and animals on the Turrentine place. Not a hoof of anything
to ride had been left. The boys would not have taken mules or horse to go
to the still--so much was certain. In the light of the lantern which
Jephthah lit the two stood and looked at each other with a sort of
consternation. Then the old man fetched a long breath.

"Go back to the house, Jude," he said not unkindly, putting the lantern
into her hand; and without another word he set off down the road running
hard.

Chapter XIV

The Raid

Earlier that same Saturday evening, while Judith Barrier was fighting out
her battle, and trying to tire down the restless spirit that wrung and
punished her, Nancy Card, mindful of earlier experiences in feud times,
was getting her cabin in a state of defence.

"You know in reason them thar Turrentines ain't a-goin' to hold off
long," she told Creed. "They're pizen fighters, and they allus aim to hit
fust. No, you don't stay out in that thar office," as Creed made this
proffer, stating that it would leave her and her family safer. "I say
stay in the office! Why, them Turrentines would ask no better than one
feller for the lot of 'em to jump on--they could make their brags about
it the longest day they live of how they done him up."

So it came to pass that Creed was sitting in the big kitchen of the Nancy
Card cabin while Judith wrought at her fruitless labours in her own home.
Despite the time of year, Nancy insisted on shutting the doors and
closing the battened shutters at the windows.

"A body gets a lot of good air by the chimney drawin' up when ye have a
bit of fire smokin'," she said. "I'd ruther be smothered as to be