said Hoke, laughing. "Set a
minute till I fetch him."

"I clean forgot," she said, and when he had left, she turned to her
friend. "Azalie--don't say anything to Hoke about me--us. Did Aunt Sally
see? You know I didn't know myself until I woke and found myself there.
I'd been trying to make him take a little whiskey--and--I must have gone
asleep like I was--and he woke up and must 'a' felt like he had to kiss
somebody--he was that glad to be alive."

"Nevah you fret, child." Azalea smiled a quiet smile. "I'm not one to
talk; anyway, I reckon Doctah Thryng's about right. He sure have been
good to me."

The widow sat on her little stoop, waiting and watching, as her daughter
rode to the door and wearily alighted.

"Cassandry Merlin! For the Lord's sake! What-all is up now? Hoyle--where
is that boy?--Hoyle, come here an' take the horse fer sister. Be ye most
dade, honey? I reckon ye be. Ye look like hit."

Cassandra kissed her mother and passed on into the house. "I couldn't
send you word last night; anyway, I reckoned you'd rest better if you
didn't know, for we-all thought Doctor Thryng was sure killed. Did Hoke
tell you this morning?"

"I 'lowed you was stoppin' with Azalie--'at baby was sick or
somethin'--when Hoyle went up to the cabin an' said doctah wa'n't there.
Frale sure have done for hisself. I reckon you are cl'ar shet o' him
now, an' I'm glad ye be, since he done took to the idee o' marryin' with
you. What-all have he done the doctah this-a-way fer? The' wa'n't
nothin' 'twixt him an' doctah. Pore fool boy he! I'll be glad fer yuer
sake, Cass, if he'll quit these here mountains."

"Oh, mother, mother! Don't talk about me, don't think of me! The
doctor's nigh about killed--let alone the sin Frale has on him now."
Wearied beyond further endurance, she flung herself on her bed and broke
into uncontrollable sobbing, while Hoyle stood in the middle of the room
and gazed with wide-eyed wonder.

"Be the doctah dade, maw?" he asked, in an awed whisper.

"No, child, no. You fetch a leetle light ud an' chips, an' we'll make
her some coffee. Sister's that tired, pore child! Have ye been up all
night, Cass?"

She nodded her head and still sobbed on.

"He's gettin' on all right now, be he?"

Again she nodded, but did not take her hands from her face.

"Then you'd ought to be glad. Hit ain't like Frale had of killed him.
Farwell, he had many a time sech as that with one an' another, an' he
nevah come to n