as he came from behind the tree: "Well, Judy, are you, too, out enjoying
the moonlight?"

The girl stopped suddenly and half-turned as if to run; but, at his
words, stood still.

"What is it, Judy?" he asked, going to her. "What is the matter?"

"There's a heap the matter!" she answered, regarding him with that sly
oblique look; while Brian noticed a feeling of intense excitement in her
voice. "I don't know what you-all are a-goin' ter think of me, but
I'm bound ter tell you just the same,--seems like I got ter,--even if
you-all was ter lick me for hit like pap used ter."

"Why, Judy, dear," the puzzled man returned, soothingly, "you know I
would never strike you, no matter what you did. Come, sit down here on
this log, and tell me about whatever it is that troubles you; then you
can go back to sleep again."

"I ain't a-wantin' ter set down. I ain't been asleep. Hit seems like
I can't never sleep no more." She wrung her hands and turned her poor
twisted body about nervously; then demanded with startling abruptness:
"When do you-all 'low she'll git back?"

The wondering Brian did not at first catch her meaning, and she
continued, with an impatient jerk of her head: "Hit's that there gal
with the no-'count name, Betty Jo, I'm a-talkin' 'bout."

"Oh, you mean Miss Williams," Brian returned. "Why, I suppose she
will be back in two or three weeks, or a month, perhaps; I don't know