he'll be along in about an hour."

She hurried to the window and stared over toward the Gulch; and at the
moment a group of people topped the steep, rising into view one after the
other out of the ravine, and coming on toward the house.

"Here they are now," she said with relief in her tones. "Thar's
Andy--Jeff, Pendrilly--why, whatever--The Lusk girls is with 'em! They's
another--Creed, they _have_ got Huldy! And that last feller--no, 'tain't
Blatch--of all things--it's Wade! They're comin' straight to this door.
Shall I let them in?"

"Yes," said Creed's steady voice. "Let them right in."

She ran swiftly to slip an extra pillow under her patient's shoulders,
straighten the covers of the bed, and put all in company trim. Her eye
brightened when she saw him sitting so erect and alert almost like his
old self. Somebody rattled the latch.

"Come in, folks," Creed called, speaking out with a roundness and
decision that it did her heart good to hear.

They all pushed into the room, the men shouldering back a little,
glancing anxiously at the sick man, the Lusk girls timid, but Huldah
leading the van.

"How's Creed?" cried the irrepressible one, bounding into the room and
looking about her. "Wade got yo' letter, Cousin Judy, an' I says to him
that right now was the time for us to make a visit home. Wade's got him a
good place on the railroad, and I like livin' in the settlement; but
bridal towers is all the go down thar, and we 'lowed we'd take one."

Every inch of her raiment bespoke the bride, and it did not take Creed
many moments to understand the situation, put out a thin white hand and,
smiling, offer his congratulations. Wade received them with some
low-toned, hesitating words of apology.

"Law, Cousin Creed's ready to let bygones be bygones, Wade, honey!" his
wife admonished him.

"_Cousin_ Creed?" echoed the obtuse Jeff.

Wade's wife whirled to put a ready arm around Judith's waist. "Why, you
an' him is a-goin' to be wedded, ain't you Judy? I always knowed, and I
always said to everybody that I named it to, that you was cut out and
made for each other. We heared tell from everybody in the Turkey Tracks
that you an' Creed was goin' to be wedded as soon as he got well--then I
reckon he'll be my cousin, won't he?"

Creed looked past the whispering girls to where Andy and Jeff stood. As
the boys moved toward the bed.

"Did you find Blatch?" he asked, with a man's directness. "How did
you-all make out?"