An Innocent Serpent in Eden

Judd, too, remained silent, ill at ease, and his dark, morose eyes ever
shifted from the face of the man to that of the girl. Once, while Donald
and his host were engaged in an animated discussion, he awkwardly
attempted to draw Rose into personal conversation; but he relapsed again
into moody silence when he received a frank, though smiling, rebuff.
Clearly the meal was not an enjoyable one for him.

All things of human invention come to an end, and at last Big Jerry
lifted his towering frame from his chair to indicate that the supper was
over. With obvious relief Judd crossed to the door and, opening it,
announced that the storm had nearly passed. It was still raining,
however.

"Ef yo' air goin' back ter the village, stranger, I'll be pleased ter
sot ye on yo'r way," he announced as he drew on his coat, and to
Donald's mind the sentence carried an unmistakable _double entente_.

Nevertheless he answered promptly, "Thanks, I'd be much obliged if you
would. Perhaps Mr. Webb can spare me a lantern, too, since these paths
are unfamiliar to ..."

"Sho, yo haint a-goin' out er this house ter-night, friend," broke in
the old man. "Leastwise, ef yo'r willin' ter put up with sech
accommodations as the loft room offers ye. Thar haint no sense of yer
takin' er five-mile walk through them drenched bushes, an' gittin'
soaked yerself."