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." He held her, with his arm about her waist, half carrying her with him, instead of allowing her to move her own free gait, and she tried vainly with her fingers to pull his hands away; but his muscles were like iron under her touch. He felt her helplessness and liked it. Her voice shook as she pleaded with him. "Oh, Frale! Hear to me!" she wailed. "I'll hear to you, ef you'll hear to me. Seems like I've lost my fear now. I hain't carin' no more. Ef I should see the sheriff this minute, an' he war a-puttin' his rope round my neck right now, I wouldn't care 'thout one thing--jes' one thing. I'd walk straight down to hell fer hit,--I reckon I hev done that,--but I'd walk till I drapped, an' work till I died for hit." He stood still a moment, and again she essayed to move his hands, but he only held her closer. "Oh, hurry, Frale! I'm afraid. Oh, Frale, don't!" "Be ye 'feared fer me, Cass?" "You know that, Frale. Leave go, and hear to me." "Be ye 'feared 'nough to give me your promise, Cass?" "Take your hand off me, Frale." "We'll go back. I 'low they mount es well take me first as last. I hain't no heart lef' in me. I don't care fer that thar doctah man he'pin' me, nohow," he choked. "Leave me go, and I'll give you promise for promise, Frale. I can't make out is it sin or not; but if God can forgive and love--when you turn and seek Him--the Bible do say so, Frale, but--but seem like you don't repent your deed whilst you look at me like that way." She paused, trembling. "If you could be sorry like you ought to be, Frale, and turn your heart--I could die for that." He still held her, but lifted one shaking hand above his head. "Before God, I promise--" "What, Frale? Say what you promise." He still held his hand high. "All you ask of me, Cass. Tell me word by word, an' I'll promise fair." "You will repent, Frale?" "Yas." "You will not drink?" "I will not drink." "You will heed when your own heart tells you the right way?" "I will heed when my heart tells me the way: hit will be the way to you, Cass." "Oh, don't say it that way, Frale. Now say, 'So help me God,' and don't think of me whilst you say it."