d Judith caught at it. She had
done her best; she had refrained from any questions; but the night before
Creed told her without asking that Huldah had been in to see him twice
again. As her patient's physical strength notably increased, his appeal
to her tender forbearance of course lessened, and the raw insult of the
situation began to come home to her.

She put a shawl over her head and ran swiftly down through the chill
November weather to the draw-bars, where in the big road outside
Turrentine slouched against a post waiting for her. The man spoke over
his shoulder.

"Howdy, Jude--you did come at last."

"Ef yo' goin' to say anything to me, you'll have to be mighty quick,
Blatch," she notified him, shivering. "I got to get right back."

"They's somebody new--and yet not so new--a-visitin' in the Turkey Tracks
that you'd like to know of," he prompted coolly. "Ain't that so?"

"Huldy," she gasped, her dark eyes fixed upon his grey ones.

He nodded.

"I 'lowed you'd take an intrust in that thar business, an' I thort as a
friend you ort to be told of it," he added virtuously.

"Where's she at?" demanded Judith.

"Over at my house," announced Turrentine easily, with a backward jerk of
his head.

"At _yo'_ house!" echoed Judith; "at _yo'_ house! Why, hit ain't
decent."

"Huh," laughed Blatch. "I don't know about decent. She was out thar
takin' the rain; she had nobody to roof her; an' I bid her in, 'caze I'm
in somewhat the same fix myse'f."

"No one to roof her," repeated Judith. "What's henderin' her from comin'
over this side the Gulch?"

"Well, seein' the way she's done Wade I reckon she 'lows she'd better
keep away from his pap's house. She's at the outs with Iley--Jim Cal's
lady sont her word she needn't never show her face thar agin. She gives
it out to everybody that'll listen at her talk that she's skeered o' you
'count o' Bonbright."

Judith studied his face with half-incredulous eyes.

"How long has she been there?" she interrogated keenly.

Turrentine seemed to take time for reflection.

"Lemme see," he ruminated, "she come a Wednesday night. Hit was rainin',
ef you remember, an' I hearn something outside, and it scairt me up some,
fer fear it was revenuers. When I found hit was Huldy, I let her in, an
she's been thar ever sence."

Wednesday night! It was Thursday morning that Creed had first announced
the visit of his wife. Oh, it must be true! Judith trembled all through
her vigorous