to see me, ef I've got the
dust. An' mebbe 'twould comfort the old woman some, after all the
trouble I've made her. Offer rewards fur me, do they? I'll give 'em some
reason to do it. I hain't afeard of the hull State of Californy,
an'--Good Lord! what's that?"

The gentleman who was not afraid of the whole State of California sprang
hastily to his feet, turned very pale, and felt for his revolver, for he
heard rapid footsteps approaching by a little path in the bushes.

But though the footsteps seemed to come nearer, and very rapidly, he
slowly took his hand from his pistol, and changed his scared look for a
puzzled one.

"Cryin'! Reckon I ain't in danger from anybody that's bellerin'; but
it's the fust time I've heerd that kind of a noise in _these_ parts.
Must be a woman. Sounds like what I used to hear to home when I got on a
tear; _'tis_ a woman!"

As he concluded, there emerged from the path a woman, who was neither
very young nor very pretty, but her face was full of pain, and her eyes
full of tears, which signs of sorrow were augmented by a considerable
scare, as she suddenly found herself face to face with the unhandsome
Jude.

"Don't be afeard of me, marm," said Jude, as the woman retreated a step
or two. "I'm durned sorry for yer, whatever's the matter. I've got a
wife to home, an' it makes me so sorry to hear her cry, that I get blind
drunk ez quick ez I ken."

This tender statement seemed to reassure the woman, for she looked
inquiringly at Jude, and asked:

"Have ye seen a man and woman go 'long with a young one?

"Nary," replied Jude. "Young one lost?"

"Yes!" exclaimed the woman, commencing to cry again; "an' a husban',
too. I don't care much for _him_, for he's a brute, but Johnny--blessed
little Johnny--oh, oh!"

And the poor woman sobbed pitifully.

Jude looked uneasy, and remembering his antidote for domestic tears,
extracted the bottle again. He slowly put it back untasted, however, and
exclaimed:

"What does he look like, marm?--the husband I mean. I never wanted an
excuse to put a hole through a feller ez bad ez I do this mornin'!"

"Don't--don't hurt him, for God's sake!" cried the woman. "He ain't a
good husband--he's run off with another woman, but--but he's Johnny's
father. Yet, if you could get Johnny back--he's the only comfort I ever
had in the world, the dear little fellow--oh, dear me!"

And again she sobbed as if her heart was broken.

"Tell us 'bout 'em. Whar hev they