Again he laughed, bitterly this time. "Yas—I reckon he'll be right glad to help me get away from you. I'll go myse'f in my own way."
Under the holly tree they had paused, and suddenly she feared lest the boy at her side return to his mood of the evening before. She seized his hand again and hurried him farther up the steep.
"Come, come!" she cried. "I'll go with you, Frale."
"Naw, you won't go with me neithah," he said stubbornly, drawing back.
"Frale!" she pleaded. "Hear to me."
"I'm a-listenin'."
"Frale, I'm afraid. They may be on their way now. For all we know they may be right nigh."
"I've done got used to fearin' now. Hit don't hurt none. On'y one thing hurts now."
"I've been up to see Doctor Thryng, and he's promised he'll fix you up some way so that if anybody does see you, they—they'll think you belong somewhere else, and nevah guess who you be. Frale, go."