reckon yo'r right, an' I shouldn't hev told ye yet, Rose," answered
the man, almost humbly. "I kin bide my time, but I wants ye ter know
thet I feels es I does. I'm a-goin' ter keep right on lovin' ye more an'
more, and, when yo'r older, I plans ter ask ye ter marry with me."

"I likes ye ... indeed I likes ye, Judd, but ... oh, please don't ever
go fer ter do that. I kaint never marry ye, Judd."

The man stiffened, and his face grew black again. "I believes thet yo'
air in love with thet doctor man, atter all," he shot out.

"I haint neither," cried the girl, angrily stamping her bare foot, "I
does love him, but I haint _in_ love with nobody, 'ceptin' grandpap."

"Yo' submitted ter his takin' ye in his arms an' kissin' ye," burst out
the mountaineer.

"Judd Amos, yo'r a mean, spyin' sneak, an' I hates ye!" stormed Rose,
while her eyes filled with angry tears.

"I didn't go fer ter spy on ye, Smiles," he protested, "I seen ye by
chance. But, whether yo' love him er not, yo' might jest as well fergit
him. He keered fer ye jest because yo' air er purty mountain flower, an'
he haint never ercomin' back hyar ergin."

"He air, too," contradicted the girl rebelliously. "He air ercomin' back
an' he's promised ter help me git edercation."

Judd laughed shortly.

"I warned him fair ter keep erway, an' p'inted my warnin' with a rifle
ball."

Rose's eyes widened in horror.

"Yo' ... yo' means yo' shot him, Judd?" she whispered, with both hands
pressed to her breast.

"Shot him? No. I didn't aim fer ter hurt him, an' 'twarn't in nowise
necessary. I jest put a bullet past his head an' he run like a skeered
rabbit."

"Taint so. He never run from no one," she cried staunchly.

"Wall, hit shor' appeared like hit ter me," was the gloating answer.

Feminine instinct gave Rose an intuitive insight into the real reasons
which underlay Donald's apparent flight; but pride sealed her lips, just
as she was on the point of explaining triumphantly that the doctor had
been called back home that day, and that it was the following summer
when he would return.

"Juddy," she said gently, after a moment, "yo' hed no reason fer doin'
what yo' done. Hit war mighty wrong, but I fergives ye. I wants ter
still be friends with ye. I wants ye ter help me, Juddy."

The last words were breathed softly, and the naive appeal in her voice
brought the hostile man quickly back to submissive and worshipful
fealty.

"Yo' know thet I'd do enyth