At sight of the mountain girl the man knew all at once that there was one thing he must do.

He must make sure that there was no mistake.

He was already sure, of course; but still, as a condemned man at the scaffold hopes against hope for a stay of sentence, so he caught at the shadowy suggestion of a possibility.
"Come with me, Judy," he said, forcing himself to speak coolly; "I want to talk with you." Judy arose, and, looking at him in her stealthy, oblique way, said, in her drawling monotone: "What's happened ter Auntie Sue?
Was there somethin' in that there letter Bud Jackson give you-all for her what's upset her ?" "Auntie Sue's brother is dead, Judy," Brian answered.

"She wishes to be alone, and we must not disturb her.

She will be all right in a little while.