Brewer stepped into the hut, placed his gun and the rabbits in the corner, and spread his hands over the stove.
"He ain't so well today, Jake! Poor Daddy, he suffers somethin' awful with his heart, Daddy does.... It air rheumatism."
"Ever try eel skins, brat?" asked Brewer, sitting down. "My grandma wore a eel skin for rheumatiz for twenty-five years, an' Holy Moses, the sufferin' that woman had durin' 'em times my tongue ain't able to tell!"
Tess glanced at the letters in her hand half-heartedly.
"We've tried 'em, too, Jake," she answered. "Daddy's been wrapped in 'em night after night. But they don't seem to do no good."
"D'ye ever have Ma Moll incant over him, Tessie?"
Tessibel nodded her head.
"Yep, I give 'er three dollars for ten incants an' they didn't do no good uther." She went a step nearer Brewer. "But I air prayin' hard, Jake, every day for 'im," she confided softly.
Brewer nodded his head.
"I guess that air better'n incants any time if ye can do it, kid," he smiled.