"Did he write to me? A'n't he going with that Betsey Malcolm?"

"Can't be, I 'low. On'y this evenin' Jonas said to me, says he, when I
tole him you was engaged to Mr. Humphreys, says he, in his way, 'The
hawk's lit, has he? That'll be the death of two,' says he, 'fer she'll
die on it, an' so'll poor Gus,' says he. And then he went on to tell as
how as Gus is all ready to leave, and had axed him to tell him of any
news; but he said he wouldn't tell him that. He'd leave him some hope.
Fer he says Gus was mighty nigh distracted to-day, that is yisterday,
fer its most mornin' I 'low."

Now this speech did Julia a world of good. It showed her that Gus was
not faithless, that she might count on Cynthy, and that Jonas was her
friend, and that he did not like Humphreys. Jonas called him a hawk.
That agreed with her dream. He was a hawk and a spider.

"But, Cynthy Ann, I got a letter night before last; ma threw it in the
window. In it Gus said he released me. I hadn't asked any release. What
did he mean?"

"Honey, I wish I could help you. It's that hawk, as Jonas calls him,
that's at the bottom of all this trouble. I don't believe but what he's
told some lies or 'nother. I don't believe but what he's a bad man. I
allers said I didn't 'low no good could come of a man that puts on
costly apparel and wears straps. I'm afeard you're making a idol of Gus
Wehle. Don't do it. Ef you do, God'll take him. Misses Pearsons made a
idol of her baby, a kissin' it and huggin' it every minute, and I said,
says I, Misses Pearsons, you hadn't better make a idol of a perishin'
creature. And sure enough, God tuck it. He's jealous of our idols. But I