Jed nodded. She closed her eyes and swayed slightly, but she did not collapse or give way.
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"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. Then all three heard the door of the outer shop open.
Ruth looked desperately about her. She hastened to the door by which she had entered. "There's some one coming," she whispered.