V
THE LOSS OF HIS BEST FRIEND
At the click of Laine"s latch-key Moses started from the doze into which he had fallen and jumped to his feet. "Lord, sir, I sure is glad you"ve come," he said, following Laine into the library.
"Gineral"s been mighty bad off since you went away, and one time I thought he was plumb gone. He done had what you might call a faintin" fit if"n he was a person."
"Where is he?" Laine"s voice was quick, and his eyes swept the room.
"What have you done for him?"
"He laid himself on the rug in your room, sir, and I give him a little brandy and water. Most in general that will hit the spot and--" But Laine was in his room, and Moses, following, saw him on his knees by the rug, his right arm under the dog"s head, his left on the heart which was barely beating, and softly he tiptoed out again.
For an hour or so he stayed away, wandering between his room and the kitchen, the kitchen and the dining-room, and back again to his room, talking to himself in an undertone; and presently he sat down by a table and began to turn the pages of a family Bible which adorned it, and which he had presented to himself the Christmas before.
"It do beat all how he love that dog," he said, as if to some one at his side, "and it"s a-goin" to make a hole in his heart when he"s gone. I never seen anybody set such store on a thing what ain"t a human being as he do on Gineral, and as for Gineral--if a dog could do what you call worship, he sure do worship Mr. Laine. They was partners, them two, and it will be a quiet place when Gineral ain"t here any more."
Slowly he turned page after page of the big-printed Bible, with its illuminated text; but presently he closed it. "I"ve read right much of it, and I"ve heard a heap of it expounded, but I haven"t got no recollections of any references to the pa.s.sing of dogs in it," he continued, taking out a plug of tobacco and cutting off a good-sized piece. "I wish there was. When something you love is leavin" you, you have a mighty sinkin" feeling in the pit of your stomach, and a terrible understandin" of the unableness of man. And then it is you feel a reachin" out after something what ain"t man. Mr. Laine is mighty learned, but learnin" ain"t no cure for loneliness, and Gineral is all he"s got. And I tell you now, this comin" home to empty rooms is cold comin"."
Moses was speaking to the wall opposite, but the wall not replying he got up and tip-toed to Laine"s bedroom. Looking up, Laine saw him and called him in.
"Go to bed, Moses," he said, and his voice was very tired. "There is nothing you can do. If I need you I will let you know."
Moses shook his head. "I ain"t a-goin" to bed, Mr. Laine. You can make me go out if you want to, but if I ain"t intrudin" I would like to stay."
Slowly the hours pa.s.sed. From the street occasional stirrings reached them faintly; but in the room only short breathing broke the silence. As day dawned Moses, from his seat near the door, spoke:
"Mr. Laine?"
"Well." Laine did not look up.
"When dogs die do they live again?"
"I don"t know."
"I don"t reckon anybody knows. But that don"t mean they don"t. If I was as certain I was fixed for heaven as I know Gineral is a-goin" to be waitin" for you somewhere, I"d feel more reconcilement to death.
Some things can die and some things can"t. There ain"t no time limit to love, Mr. Laine. I think"--Moses got up--"I think Gineral is trying to make you understand something, sir."
Half an hour later Laine called Moses back into the room, gave a few orders, changed his clothes, and without waiting for breakfast went out, and not until dark did he come in again.
Dinner was a pretense, and presently he pushed his coffee aside, lighted a cigar, and took up the evening paper. The headlines were glaring, but he pa.s.sed them quickly. Telegraphic news was skimmed, stock reports and weather conditions glimpsed unheedingly, and the editorial page ignored, and, finally, with a gesture of weariness, he threw the paper on the floor and went into the library.
It was, as Moses had said, a very s.p.a.cious room, and its furnishings were distinctive; but, though warm and brightly lighted, to stay in it to-night was impossible, and, ringing for his coat and hat, he made ready to go out.
At the table he lingered a moment and glanced at some letters upon it. Mechanically he took one up, looked at the writing of his name, and wondered indifferently who it was from. Breaking it open, he read the few words it contained, and at them his face colored and he bit his lips to hide their twitching. He read:
DEAR MR. LAINE,--Dorothea has just told me. I am so sorry. CLAUDIA KEITH.
With a sudden surrender to something stubbornly withheld, he sat down in the chair near the table, leaned back in it, and closed his eyes to keep back that which stung and blinded them. To most of his friends the going of General would be but the going of a dog, and barely a pa.s.sing thought would be its portion when they heard, but she must understand. He got up. No. There was no one who could really understand.
VI
A LETTER PROM DOROTHEA
For a moment he hesitated whether to go down or up the street. The air was biting, but the snow, fairly well cleaned from the sidewalks, no longer bothered; and, crossing into Madison Avenue, he turned down and began to walk rapidly toward that part of the city where there would be few people and little glare, and as he walked unconsciously he repeated over and over to himself: "Dorothea has just told me. I am so sorry."
"Mister, please, sir, buy a paper?" He stopped abruptly. The boy in front of him stamped first one foot and then the other, and the hand he held out was rough and red. Drawing it back he blew on it for a little warmth.
"What are you doing out this time of night?" Laine asked the question hardly knowing why. "You ought to be home in bed."
"Ain"t got no home." The boy laughed cheerfully, and again put his fist to his mouth and blew upon it. "I"m sleepin" with another boy this week, but I have to pay him. Please buy a paper, Mister!"
Under his breath Laine caught himself saying something, then handed the boy a piece of money and pa.s.sed on. Where was he, anyhow?
Surely he was in no mood for the life of this neighborhood. It was one he had seldom been in, and as he looked at its houses dull wonder filled him as to their occupants. To keep breath in their bodies meant sordid struggle and bitter strife, but possibly they were happy. Certainly he had long since learned the possession of mere material things did not mean happiness. He had long since learned a great many things it was unfortunate to know.
A clock in the church near by struck ten, and turning he went over into the Avenue and began his walk up-town. As he reached Madison Square he looked at the empty benches and wondered as to the fate of the derelicts who daily filled them in warm weather, and wondered if they, too, wondered what it was all for--this thing called life.
In contrast to the traffic of the day the stillness of the Avenue was puzzling. Only the whir of an automobile or the occasional hoofbeats of a cab-horse broke the silence, and hardly less dark than the tenements just pa.s.sed were its handsome houses, with their closed shutters and drawn curtains, and the restless occupants therein. As he reached the Park he stopped, hesitated, and lighted a fresh cigar.
Three squares away was his sister"s house, and in it was the girl with the fresh, clear voice. He took the note she had sent him out of his pocket, and in the light hanging just above him looked again at the firm, clear writing, then put it back. Did she, too, wonder at life, at its emptiness and aimlessness? Her voice did not sound as if she were tired of it or found it wearisome. It sounded like a very happy voice.
At his door he turned the latch-key, and for a moment--a bare moment--drew back; then, with a shiver, he opened the door and went inside.
Moses was waiting. "Miss Dorothea she called me up, sir, and told me to be sure and give you this letter to-night. She slip out of bed to telephone when that French white lady was out the room, she say. She had her Ma send it by messenger, and she was so "fraid you wouldn"t get it to-night she couldn"t sleep. She sent a peck of love."
Laine took the letter and went to his room. Dorothea was given to letters, and if his absence was unduly long a communication to that effect was promptly received. He had seen her last night, however.
What was she wanting now? Breaking the seal, he read the sprawly writing with narrowed eyes, then read again, that he might miss no word.
DEAR UNCLE WINTHROP,--Moses telefoned us and Channing and I have just cried and cried and cried. But I won"t even call his name if you will only come and let me kiss you so you will know. We wanted to send you some flowers but Claudia said our love was best. She is so sorry too. She had one and it died last spring. I had a headake to-day. It came from my heart because of you and she made it go away. I think she could make most any kind of pain go away. And her hands are not red and her hair is brown and her lashes are brown too, and long and lovely. I don"t know the color of her eyes. I think they are glad color. I love her! I knew I would.
Your devoted niece, DOROTHEA.
P. S.--I told her you didn"t like young ladies and she said she didn"t like old gentlemen, except a few. Please, P-L-E-A-S-E come and see me--and you can come in the nursery if you don"t want to see her. She knows.
Your loving niece, DOROTHEA.
P. S. Again.--You ought to hear her laugh. Its delishus.
He put the letter back in the envelope, and the envelope in his pocket. "She knows," he repeated. What under heaven had Dorothea been telling her? He must see Dorothea and have it stopped. Did she think him a feeble and infirm person who leaned on a stick, or a crabbed and cross one who had no manners? He would have to call, if only to thank her for her note. No. He would do that in writing.
Next week, perhaps, he might drop in and see Dorothea. But Hope and Channing should take the girl about, show her the city. Certainly Hope could not be so idiotic as to let clothes matter. In his sister"s world clothes were the insignia of its order, and of late Hope had shown signs that needed nipping. He must see Hope. Next week would be time enough, but Hope and Dorothea must both be seen.