When she had further helped him to his feet, Judy
surveyed the wretched object of her beneficence with amused and curious
interest.
The man, with his unkempt hair, unshaven, haggard face, bloodshot eyes,
and slovenly dishevelled dress, had appeared repulsive enough while in
the boat; but, now, as he stood dripping with water and covered with
mud, there was a touch of the ridiculous in his appearance that brought
a grin to the unlovely face of his rescuer, and caused her to exclaim
with unnecessary frankness: "I'll be dad burned if you-all ain't a thing
ter look at, mister!"
As the poor creature, who was shaking as if with the ague, regarded the
twisted form, the wry neck, and the sallow, old-young face of the
girl, who was laughing at him, a gleam of sardonic humor flashed in
his bloodshot eyes. "Thanks," he said, huskily; "you are something of a
vision yourself, aren't you?"
The laughter went from Judy's face as she caught the meaning of the
cruel words. "I ain't never laid no claim ter bein' a beauty," she
retorted in her shrill, drawling monotone. "But, I kin tell you-all one
thing, mister: Hit was God-A'mighty Hisself an' my drunken pap what made
me ter look like I do. While you,--damn you!--you-all just naturally
made yourself what you be."
At the mountain girl's illiterate words, so pregnant with meaning, a
remarkable change came over the face and manner of the man.
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