way
over toward Jim Cal's cabin.

"I don't see her," she called across her shoulder. "Mebbe she's in the
house yet."

She closed the door reluctantly and came back to the bedside.

"No," said Creed plaintively, lifting a doubtful hand to his confused
head, "she ain't here. She allowed you-all were mad at her, and I reckon
she'll keep out of sight."

"But she had to come to see you--her wedded husband," accused Judith
sternly.

He nodded mutely with a motion of assent. He seemed to hope that the
admission would please Judith. The broth stood untouched, cooling on the
chair.

"Is she stayin' down at Jim Cal's?" came Judith's next question.

"She never named it to me where she was stayin'," returned Creed wearily.
As before, Judith's ill-concealed anger and hostility was as a sword of
destruction to him; yet now he had more strength to endure with. "She
just come--and now she's gone." He closed his eyes, and leaned his head
back among his pillows. The white face looked so sunken that Judith's
heart misgave her.

"Won't you eat your breakfast now, Mr. Bonbright?" she said stiffly.

"I don't want any breakfast, thank you. I can't eat," returned Creed very
low.

Judith pressed her lips hard together to refrain from mentioning Huldah
again. She knew that she had injured Creed, yet for the life of her she
could not get out one word of kindness. Finally she took her mending and
sat down within sight of the bed, deceiving herself into the belief that
he slept.

The next day an almost identical scene pushed Judith's strained nerves to
the verge of hysteria. In the afternoon when the old man came to relieve
her he returned almost immediately from the sick-room, called her
downstairs once more, and complained of Creed's progress.

"What's the matter?" he asked. "Look like somethin' has went wrong here
right lately. Ever sence you got that fool notion in yo' head that Creed
and Huldy was man and wife, he's been goin' down in his mind about as
fast as his stren'th come up. The best thing you can do is to put it out
of yo' head."

"Well, they _air_ wedded," returned Judith passionately. "They ain't no
use to fergit it, 'caze she's done been here--she's down at Jim Cal's
right now; and when we-all are out of the room he says she slips in to
visit him."

The girl stood trembling; her rounded cheeks that used to blush with such
glowing crimson were white; she was a figure to move any one who loved
her to pity; but the