Judith of the Godless Valley | Page 8

this hour, you
young hound?"
"I think I might have Sunday afternoon to myself," said Douglas
sulkily.
"So do I. But that don't mean you are to have all Sunday night, too. Did
you feed the calves?"
"Yes."
"Next Sunday you be here by five o'clock, understand?"
"Yes."
"Supper's ready!" called Judith.
The table was covered by a red-checked cloth. A huge platter of fried
beef, another of fried potatoes, another of baking-powder biscuits, and
a pot of coffee steamed on the table. John did not speak until his first
hunger had been satisfied. When he received his second cup of coffee,
however, he said, "Well, my tooth's better. What happened this
afternoon, children?"

Judith did not reply, but Douglas, with a chuckle, told the story of Mr.
Fowler's discomfiture. John and Mary shouted with laughter.
"By old Sitting Bull, it serves him right!" John wiped his eyes. "What
became of him?"
"O, he beat it for the Pass!" replied Douglas.
"What did you do after that?" inquired Mrs. Spencer.
"We went up to the post-office to get Peter to let us have a dance, but
there was nothing doing. He just gave us all a jaw because our horses
were sweating."
"I'll bet Swift was the worst off," chuckled John.
"That's right! Pick on me!" cried Judith.
"Judith! Be careful!" protested her mother.
"Let her alone, Mary." John's blue eyes twinkled as he watched the
young girl. "She's kept out of a row about as long as she can without
choking."
"Some day, when you least expect it," said Judith with a little quiver in
her voice, "I'm going to run away."
The others laughed.
"Where to, Jude?" asked her stepfather.
"To some place where folks like me."
"I like you, Jude!" protested John.
Judith turned to him quickly. "Why do you thrash me and kick me,
then?"
"Kids have to be trained, and you are as hard bitted as Buster,"

answered John.
"No such thing!" Judith suddenly rose from the table. "It's just bad
temper."
"Judith! Judith! Don't!" pleaded her mother.
"Let her alone!" John's voice was not angry. He was eying Judith with
inscrutable gaze.
"The next time you even try to kick me, I'm going to run away."
She paused and suddenly Douglas thought, "Jude knows what real
loneliness is. She's a very lonely person." He leaned forward and
watched her with unwonted sympathy. She swallowed once or twice,
and then went on:
"A woman, a dog, and a horse, you don't kick any of them. Peter
Knight says so. Maud Day's father never kicks her. He hits her with a
belt, maybe, when she doesn't get his horse quickly enough, and maybe
he hits her mother when he's drinking, but that's all." Judith began to
gather up the dishes with trembling fingers.
"How old are you, Judith?" asked John.
"You know. I was fourteen last spring."
"By jove, you are almost a woman grown!" John swept her with a look,
then rose and went into the living room.
Douglas followed him and, sitting down on the edge of his bed, he
unbuckled his spurs. John settled himself under the lamp with his book,
but he did not begin to read at once.
"Yes, Doug; that girl is a woman now and she has any woman in Lost
Chief beaten for beauty and nerve."
Douglas gave his father a startled glance; then he said, with elaborate
carelessness, "Rats! She's just a fighting kid!"

John chuckled. "I'm glad you're still only a sixteen-year-old fool,
Doug."
The boy said nothing more. He scowled and sat staring at his father
long after that strenuous person was absorbed in his book. Then he
kicked off his boots, pulled off his vest and trousers and crawled into
bed. Not long after, Mrs. Spencer came in, glanced at her husband,
sighed wearily, then she too went to bed. Judith finished wiping the
dishes, sauntered in to the center table and shortly was absorbed in
"Bleak House." Mrs. Spencer was snoring quietly and Douglas had not
stirred for an hour when he heard his father say in a low voice:
"Jude, old girl, I'm never going to lay finger on you again."
Jude gave a little gasp of surprise. "What's happened, Dad?"
"You've happened! By jove, you've grown to be a beautiful woman!"
"Huh! Doug says I'm a homely, pug-nosed outlaw."
"Doug's a fool kid. It takes a man like me that knows women to
appreciate you, Jude."
"Doug'll hear you," warned the girl.
"He's been dead for an hour. Give me a kiss, Judith."
"I don't think I will, I'm too sleepy and tired. Guess I'll go to bed!" She
rose, dropping "Bleak House" as she did so.
Mrs. Spencer woke with a start. "What's the matter?"
"Nothing! I just dropped a book." Judith retired