Ruth leaned forward.
"Jed," she begged, "does he--does he know about--about--" Jed nodded.

She closed her eyes and swayed slightly, but she did not collapse or give way.
"And he is going to tell ?" she whispered.
A furious mumble from behind the fingers and a venomous flash from the Babbitt eyes were answers sufficient.
"Oh, Jed," she pleaded, "what SHALL we do ?" For the instant a bit of the old Jed came to the surface.

His lip twitched grimly as he looked down at the crimson face above his own hand.
"I ain't sartin--yet," he drawled.

"How do you start in killin' a--a snappin' turtle?
I ain't tackled the job since I was a boy." Phineas looked as if he could have furnished some points on the subject.

His eyes were bulging.