“Cryin’! Reckon I ain’t in danger from anybody that’s bellerin’; but it’s the fust time I’ve heerd that kind of a noise in these parts. Must be a woman. Sounds like what I used to hear to home when I got on a tear; ’tis a woman!”
“GET HIM—GET JOHNNY!” CRIED THE WOMAN, FALLING ON HER
KNEES, AND SEIZING JUDE’S HAND.
As he concluded, there emerged from the path a woman, who was neither very young nor very pretty, but her face was full of pain, and her eyes full of tears, which signs of sorrow were augmented by a considerable scare, as she suddenly found herself face to face with the unhandsome Jude.
“Don’t be afeard of me, marm,” said Jude, as the woman retreated a step or two. “I’m durned sorry for yer, whatever’s the matter. I’ve got a wife to home, an’ it makes me so sorry to hear her cry, that I get blind drunk ez quick ez I ken.”
This tender statement seemed to reassure the woman, for she looked inquiringly at Jude, and asked:
“Have ye seen a man and woman go ’long with a young one?”
“Nary,” replied Jude. “Young one lost?”
“Yes!” exclaimed the woman, commencing to cry again; “an’ a husban’, too. I don’t care much for him, for he’s a brute, but Johnny—blessed little Johnny—oh, oh!”
And the poor woman sobbed pitifully.