HEY rode along, Ruffner furtively watching Bud, until finally the elder man spoke with the directness of primitive natures and strong excitement:
“Whut’s come ter ye, Bud Quinn? Ye seem all broke up ’beout this yere losin’ yo’ little trick (child); yet ye didn’t useter set no gre’t store by ’er—least, looked like—”
“I knaw,” answered Bud, lifting his heavy eyes, too numb himself with weariness and misery to be surprised,—“I knaw, an’ ’t are curi’s ter me too. I didn’t set no store by ’er w’en I had ’er. I taken a gredge agin ’er kase she hadn’t got no good sense, an’ you all throwed it up to me fur a jedgment. An’ knowin’ how I hadn’t done a thing to hurt Zed, it looked cl’ar agin right an’ natur’ fur the Lord ter pester me that a-way; so someways I taken the notion ’twar the devil, and that he got inter Ma’ Bowlin’, an’ I mos’ cudn’t b’ar the sight ’er that pore little critter. But the day she got lost kase ’er tryin’ ter meet up with me, I ’lowed mabbe he tolled ’er off, an’ I sorter felt bad fur ’er, an’ w’en I seen them little tracks ’er her’n, someways all them mean feelin’s I got they jes broked off short insider me like a string mought snap. They done so. An’ I wanted thet chile bader’n I ever wanted anything.”
“Law me!” said Ruffner, quite puzzled. “But, say, Bud, ef ye want ’er so bad ’s all thet, ye warn’t wanter mad the Lord by lyin’, kase He are yo’ on’y show now. Bud Quinn, did ye hurt my boy?” He had pushed his face close to Bud’s, and his mild eyes were glowing like live coals.
“Naw, Mr. Ruffner,” answered Bud, quietly. “I never teched a ha’r ’er ’is head!”
Ruffner kept his eager and almost fierce scrutiny a moment, then he drew a long gasping sigh, crying,
“Blame my skin ef I don’ b’lieve ye! I’ve ’lowed, fur a right smart, we all used ye mighty rough.”
“’Tain’t no differ,” said Bud, dully. Nothing mattered now, the poor fellow thought; Ma’ Bowlin’ was dead, and Sukey hated him.
Ruffner whistled slowly and dolefully; that was his way of expressing sympathy; but the whistle died on his lips, for Bud smote his shoulder, then pointed toward the trees.