old man regarded her with strong contempt.

"Good Lord--is _that_ what's ailin' ye?" he burst out. "You might at
least have had the sense you was born with, and asked somebody is Huldy
here. You know in reason it shows that Creed's out of his head--when he
tells you a tale like that. The Lord knows there's no fool in the world
like a jealous woman. Do ye want to kill the boy?--or run him crazy?"

Judith struggled with her tears.

"Uncle Jep," she finally choked out without actually sobbing. "I won't
say another word--now that I know. I ain't got nothin' agin' Creed
Bonbright, nor his wife--why should I have?"

Some ruth came into the scornful glance those old black eyes bent on
her.

"You're a good gal, Jude," Jephthah said softly, "ef ye air somethin'
unusual of a fool in this business. But I reckon I got to take this boy
out o' yo' hands someway. I'm obliged to leave Creed with ye for one
short while--an' agin' my grain it goes to do it--an' go fetch him a
nurse that won't take these tantrums. But mind, gal, it's Creed's reason
I'm leavin' with you; mebbe his life--but sartain shore his reason. I
won't be gone to exceed two days. Ye can hold out that long, cain't ye?"

"I'll do the best I can, Uncle Jep," said Judith with unexpected
mildness. "An' ef Huldy 's here----"

"My Lord!" broke in Jephthah. "Why don't ye go to Iley an' set yo' mind
at rest about Huldy?"

"Hit is at rest," returned Judith darkly. "When Creed come here, Iley was
at me every day to ask him whar was Huldy; but I take notice that sence
that day he named Huldy visitin' him Iley ain't been a-nigh the place."

The old man heaved a heavy sigh.

"Well, ye say ye'll do yo' best? Hit's apt to be a good best, Jude. In
two days, ef I live, I'll be back here, an' I'll bring he'p."

Chapter XXV

A Perilous Passage

It was a strange thing to Judith to be left alone in the house, in charge
of it and the sick man. Old Dilsey did the cooking and all the domestic
labour. Had Wade been at home, and the patient any other than Creed
Bonbright, she would have had a capable assistant at the nursing. Andy
and Jeff tried to be as kind as they could. But they were an untamed,
untrained pair, helpless and hapless at such matters, and their
approaching wedding kept them often over at the Lusk place. From Iley
Judith held savagely aloof.

It was on the second morning of her uncle's absence that Dilsey Rust
brought again that message from Blatch, an