Andy spoke low in the elder's ear, whereupon he was released, and turned to his brother; hand-in-hand the two stepped into the water alone. Judith saw the pale, boyish faces, strangely refined by the exaltation of spirit which was upon them, as the twins waded out toward the preacher. Bohannon called to Jeff, shook hands with him, shouted, "Praise God, brother. Glory! Glory! Now--make yo'se'f right stiff. Let me have ye. Don't be scared. I won't drop ye. I've baptised a many before you was born, son." His right hand was lifted dripping above the dark head. "I baptise ye, Thomas Jefferson Turrentine, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, Amen." "Amen--Amen!" came the deep chorus from the bank, the high, plaintive women's voices undertoned by the masculine bass. The black coat sleeve went around the white-clad shoulders, the preacher dropped his new convert gently backward into the shining water, dipped him, and Jeff who was not an excellent swimmer for nothing, came up quiet, smiling, and stood aside to wait for his brother. "Sing--sing!" cried the preacher. "Here goes another soul on its way to glory," and he reached forth to take Andy. A moment later he sent him, drenched, but washed clean of his sins, so far as mountain belief goes, after his twin. The hallelujahs burst forth to greet the boys: joyful shouts, amens, and some sobbing when, hand-in-hand--even as they had gone in--they came up out of the water. "Mighty pretty to look at, ain't it?" said a voice at Judith's shoulder. She turned to find Blatch Turrentine standing behind her. "I reckon Andy and Jeff is goin' to be regular little prayin' Sammies from this out," jeered the newcomer. "Granny Lusk has given her consent for them and the gals to be wedded," remarked Judith softly. To her--and perhaps to Cliantha and Pendrilla also--the main importance of the twins' conversion was in this permission, which had been withheld so long as they were wild and had a bad name. "I heared of another weddin' that might interest ye," Blatch insinuated. "Want to come and walk a piece over by the Big Spring, Judy?" Judith turned uncertainly. The boys had passed on up to the sheds to get on dry clothing. It was nearly time for her to be going back to the waggon. Bohannon was dipping Doss Provine's sister Luna. A group of trembling, tearful candidates, mostly young girls, were being heartened and encouraged for the ordeal by the helpers on the bank. "Tell me here--cain't ye?" she said listlessly. "I heared from a feller that got it from another feller," Blatch began smilingly, "that Huldy Spiller an' Creed Bonbright was wedded and gone to Texas. I reckon hit's true, becaze the man that told me was aimin' to buy the Bonbright farm." Judith did not cry out. She hoped her colour did not change very much, for Blatch's eyes were on her face. After a while she managed to say in a fairly steady voice, "Does Wade know? Have ye sent any word to him?"