and slovenly dishevelled dress, had appeared repulsive enough while in
the boat; but, now, as he stood dripping with water and covered with
mud, there was a touch of the ridiculous in his appearance that brought
a grin to the unlovely face of his rescuer, and caused her to exclaim
with unnecessary frankness: "I'll be dad burned if you-all ain't a thing
ter look at, mister!"

As the poor creature, who was shaking as if with the ague, regarded the
twisted form, the wry neck, and the sallow, old-young face of the
girl, who was laughing at him, a gleam of sardonic humor flashed in
his bloodshot eyes. "Thanks," he said, huskily; "you are something of a
vision yourself, aren't you?"

The laughter went from Judy's face as she caught the meaning of the
cruel words. "I ain't never laid no claim ter bein' a beauty," she
retorted in her shrill, drawling monotone. "But, I kin tell you-all one
thing, mister: Hit was God-A'mighty Hisself an' my drunken pap what made
me ter look like I do. While you,--damn you!--you-all just naturally
made yourself what you be."

At the mountain girl's illiterate words, so pregnant with meaning, a
remarkable change came over the face and manner of the man. His voice,
even, for the moment, lost its huskiness, and vibrated with sincere
feeling as he steadied himself; and, bowing with courteous deference,
said: "I beg your pardon, miss. That was unkind. You really should have
left me to the river."

"You-all would a-drownded, sure, if I had," she retorted, somewhat
mollified by the effect of her observation.