Judkins, tell me all you saw--all you know about this killing." She realized, without wonder or amaze, how Judkins's one word, affirming the death of Dyer--that the catastrophe had fallen--had completed the change whereby she had been molded or beaten or broken into another woman.

She felt calm, slightly cold, strong as she had not been strong since the first shadow fell upon her.
"I jest saw about all of it, Miss Withersteen, an' I'll be glad to tell you if you'll only hev patience with me," said Judkins, earnestly.

"You see, I've been pecooliarly interested, an' nat'rully I'm some excited.
An' I talk a lot thet mebbe ain't necessary, but I can't help thet.
"I was at the meetin'-house where Dyer was holdin' court.

You know he allus acts as magistrate an' judge when Tull's away.

An' the trial was fer tryin' what's left of my boy riders--thet helped me hold your cattle--fer a lot of hatched-up things the boys never did.