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.
"Which," he returned, "would have been so beautifully right and fitting that it evidently could not be." And with this cynical remark, his momentary bearing of self-respect was gone.
"Are you-all a-meanin' ter say that you-all was a-wantin' ter drown ?" "Something like that," he returned.

And then, with a hint of ugliness in his voice and eyes, he rasped: "But, look here, girl! do you think I'm going to stand like this all day indulging in idle conversation with you?
Where is this aunt of yours?
Can't you see that I've got to have a drink ?" He started uncertainly toward the steps that led to the top of the bank, and Judy, holding him by his arm, helped him to climb the steep way.